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England, Sri Lanka clash for semi-final berth
Sri Lanka and England lock horns at the Rose Bowl on Friday with world champions Australia awaiting the winners in semi-finals.
Sri Lanka and England lock horns at the Rose Bowl on Friday with world champions Australia awaiting the winners in next week's Champions Trophy semi-finals.
England head into the game as favourites on home soil after both sides recorded markedly different victories over Group D whipping boys, Zimbabwe.
The tournament hosts eased to a 152-run victory but joint holders Sri Lanka could only limp to an unconvincing four-wicket win in what should have been a stroll.
Seamers Nuwan Zoysa and Farveez Maharoof took three wickets each at the Oval but unfancied Zimbabwe posted a respectable total of 191 all out as Sri Lanka failed to kill off their innings.
Captain Marvan Atapattu then top-scored with 43 as his side lost wickets frequently to a plucky but unthreatening Zimbabwe attack.
"It wasn't our prettiest win but we'll try and improve and get used to the conditions better," Atapattu said. "England have been playing well but when you're playing at home sometimes expectations are too high."
