A capacity Trent Bridge crowd witnessed a Royal London One-Day International thriller as Liam Plunkett’s last ball six secured England a dramatic tie against Sri Lanka.

Jos Buttler’s 93 gave England hope and Chris Woakes’ career-best 95 not out took it deep. But the headlines were snatched by Plunkett, as Nuwan Pradeep’s last ball of the match disappeared back over his head and into the crowd to secure a share of the spoils for the host nation.

Buttler and Woakes were united at the crease with the England innings in tatters at 82-6 against a disciplined and resourceful visiting attack.

Jason Roy (3) and Joe Root (2) were out early to Sri Lanka captain Angelo Matthews, while his new ball partner Suranga Lakmal accounted for Alex Hales (4) and Jonny Bairstow (3) at the other end.

Eoin Morgan scrapped for his 43 off 49 balls before becoming the first of two swift Nuwan Pradeep dismissals, Moeen Ali the second to go in the spell as England’s innings reached its lowest ebb.

But Buttler, as ever, was aggressive - never more so than when he launched the otherwise economical Seekkuge Prasana high onto the front of the Pavilion for six, bringing up the right hander’s half-century at a run-a-ball.

Woakes was more circumspect to begin with, but sprung into life by spanking Mashtayage Gunathilaka’s off-spin to the extra cover fence and reaching his maiden ODI fifty off 57 deliveries.

Buttler’s innings finally came to an end on 93 courtesy of a fine catch by Dasun Shanaka on the long-on boundary, handing Prasanna a deserved wicket.

Although the partnership had been worth 138, it still left the tail with plenty to do - and David Willey was caught in the deep off Farveez Maharoof as the rate required reached two runs a ball.

There was debate over whether a no ball may have been called upon review, but the third umpire upheld Paul Reiffel’s original decision.

A timely scoop for four made handed Woakes the highest score ever by a number eight batsman in ODI cricket, and left England needing 14 off the final over to win.

Pradeep opted for yorkers, executed brilliantly and – with ten needed off two balls – England managed just three, meaning a maximum off the last would tie the game.

Liam Plunkett launched the straight six that ensured a dramatic share of the spoils.

Sri Lanka, having earlier lost the toss and been asked to bat, were indebted to the experience of Matthews which – together with a belligerent cameo of 59 from Prasana and tail-end resistance from Maharoof – took them to a competitive 286-9.

Willey and Woakes shared three wickets with the new ball, before the spin duo of Ali and Adil Rashid controlled the scoring rate during a stand of 64 between Dinesh Chandimal and Matthews.

Rashid’s ten overs cost just 36 while Ali picked up the wicket of Chandimal, caught in the deep by Woakes for 37.

At 120-4 after 25.3 overs, the Sri Lankan scoring rate was pedestrian. Prasana, however, was in no mood to let it stay that way.

The Sri Lankan number six clubbed eight fours and four sixes in his 28 ball knock, before one big shot too many offered a return catch to Woakes.

Matthews received spirited support from Shanaka who made 20 batting at number nine.

And although Plunkett finally dismissed Matthews with three overs to go, Maharoof defied his lowly position of ten in the batting order with a competent 31 off 30 balls.

In the final reckoning his intervention was crucial, albeit not quite in a winning cause for the unfortunate tourists.

 

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