Thilina Kandamby and Angelo Mathews hit half-centuries to help Sri Lanka recover from a top order collapse and post a respectable 212 against England in a Group B match of the ICC Champions Trophy at the Wanderers in Johannesburg, on Friday.
Left-hander Kandamby, playing in only his 20th ODI, showed great maturity with a solid knock of 53 from 82 deliveries before he was run out after a misunderstanding with partner Mathews, who stroked 51 from 70 deliveries, inclusive of five boundaries.
The two batsmen shared a vital partnership of 82 runs off 107 deliveries for the sixth wicket as Sri Lanka inched their way back in the match after reeling at 17 for four at one stage.
Pacers James Anderson and Graham Onions made the most of the overcast conditions after England elect to bowl first, claiming two early wickets each to reduce Sri Lanka to 17 for four by the sixth over.
It was Onions, who struck first when he scalped Sanath Jayasuriya in the second over of the innings. The veteran left-hander fell for a duck when he played tentatively to an outswinging delivery and ended up edging to wicketkeeper Matt Prior. (7-1, 1.5)
In the next over, Tillakaratne Dilshan, seemingly uncomfortable against the moving ball, tried to cut loose against Anderson but hit one straight to Eoin Morgan at backward point for 2. (7-2, 2.3)
Mahela Jayawardene tried to hit across the line against Anderson but missed the incoming delivery and was trapped right in front of the stumps for 9 as Sri Lanka slipped to 17 for three after five overs. (17-3, 5)
Captain Kumar Sangakkara (1) made things worse for his team when he played a reckless shot to a wide delivery from Onions only to edge it to Strauss at first slip. (17-4, 5.2)
Thilan Samaraweera weathered the early storm before he broke the shackles somewhat with consecutive boundaries off Stuart Broad, as Sri Lanka reached 43 for four after 10 overs.
Anderson kept probing the batsmen with his wonderful line and length bowling before he got a deserved rest after a superb opening spell of two for 11 in his seven overs.
After a few overs in the middle, Samaraweera looked quite comfortable while Kandamby also adjusted his batting to the conditions, the two batsmen looking to repair the innings after those early wickets.
Despite picking up early wickets Onions could not keep the runs down and Samaraweera broke the shackles much to Sri Lanka's relief with back-to-back boundaries in the 19th over.
It looked too easy for the Sri Lankan batsmen as they milked the bowlers around with considerable ease.
Stuart Broad brought England back with the important wicket of Samaraweera. The right-hander smashed a full delivery straight to Paul Collingwood at point to fall for 30 from 48 deliveries, having hit four boundaries. (81-5, 19.5)
Samaraweera had helped anchor Sri Lanka to safety with a 64-run partnership off 87 deliveries for the fifth wicket with Kandamby.
Angelo Mathews seemed in no mood to hang around as he started off with boundaries in consecutive overs from Luke Wright and Broad.
Kandamby drove Wright straight down the ground for his fourth boundary and was looking solid on 33 from 48 deliveries.
Sri Lanka were building another good partnership as the two batsmen put on 28 in five overs, with the scoreboard reading 109 for five at the halfway stage of the innings.
It seemed the pitch had eased considerably as both Kandamby and Mathews milked the England part-time bowlers quite easily. They brought up the 50-run partnership for the sixth wicket in just 58 deliveries, at more than five runs per over, in the 29th over.
Kandamby brought up his half-century off 71 deliveries, having hit five boundaries in the 32nd over. It was his fifth fifty in ODIs and had come at a very important time for his team after they were reeling at 17 for four in the early overs.
Onions came back for his third spell and was instantly despatched for two more boundaries by Mathews, who was growing in confidence with every passing over, with Sri Lanka looking comfortable on 149 for five after 35 overs.
England struck against the run of play with the wicket of Kandamby, who was run out after a solid knock of 53 from 82 deliveries, inclusive of four boundaries. The left-hander hit one on the off-side and went for a quick single but Mathews sent him back, leaving Kandamby stranded as wicketkeeper Matt Prior whipped off the bails. (163-6, 37.4)
The left-hander had played a stellar role in helping Sri Lanka inch back in the contest with an 82-run partnership off107 deliveries for the sixth wicket with Mathews.
The onus now lay on Mathews, who brought up his half-century from 69 deliveries with a single on the off-side in the 40th over.
But his fine innings was stopped in controversial circumstances when Mathews was run out for 51 attempting a second run after the bowler, Onions, blocked him unintentionally. However, to everyone's dismay England captain Andrew Strauss showed great sportsmanship to call Mathews back to the batting crease as he was making his way back to the dressing room.
But Mathews could not make much of the second life and fell five deliveries later, caught behind off Luke Wright for a fine knock of 52 from 73 deliveries, inclusive of six boundaries. (176-7, 40.5)
Interestingly, Mathews thanked Strauss for the wonderful gesture of recalling him back to the batting crease as he made his way back to the pavilion.
Sri Lanka took a gamble by promoting Muttiah Muralitharan to number nine and took the Batting Powerplay at the start of the 42nd over. Muralitharan wasted no time to get going as he launched Broad for a huge six over long-on and a boundary through fine leg in the 42nd over.
England didn't do their chances any good when Strauss dropped Muralitharan (16 off 6) off a high, difficult chance, running back at square leg in the 43rd over. However, the Lankan fell in the next over after a quick 18 from 10 deliveries when Broad sent his off stump cartwheeling with a full delivery and then repeated the dose off the next delivery to send back Lasith Malinga for a duck.
Nuwan Kulasekara continued ticking the scoreboard with singles before unleashing a powerful cut shot for a six off Broad in the 46th over.
Ajantha Mendis was the last wicket to fall, taken by Strauss at slip off Anderson for 5. Kulasekara finished unbeaten on 17 from 24 deliveries as Sri Lanka were bowled out for 212 in 47.3 overs.
Anderson was easily England's best bowler on show with three for 20 in 9.3 overs, while Broad claimed three for 49 in his ten overs.
