Moeen Ali and Ravi Bopara shined with the bat, but couldn’t stop England falling to a 25-run defeat to Sri Lanka in the first ODI at the Premadasa Stadium in Columbo.
Moeen’s century, and Bopara’s last ditch efforts with number 11 Harry Gurney, provided glimmers of promise and hope, but ultimately a daunting target of 318 proved too much.
Opening the batting with captain Alastair Cook, Moeen flayed a classy 119 from 87 balls, but found partners difficult to keep.
Harry Gurney was the only Nottinghamshire player selected for the match, and the England side seemed to cry out for players of the ilk of Alex Hales and James Taylor, particularly as England’s middle order appeared soft in the face of Thisara Perera.
Gurney toiled through his ten overs to little reward, but kept his end tight at the death while Sri Lanka’s batsmen targeted Chris Woakes and a wayward Ben Stokes.
After electing to bowl first on a tacky pitch delayed by rain, Alastair Cook would have hoped for quicker inroads into the Sri Lankan batting order, but a stubborn opening partnership worth 120 from Kusal Perera and Tillakaratne Dilshan put the hosts on the front foot.
Their stand was ended by a run out which left Perera stranded. Kumar Sangakkara could only pluck two before being rapped on the pads in front by Moeen Ali. Dilshan fell to a return catch for Chris Woakes, but contributions from Mahela Jayawardene and Angelo Matthews pushed Sri Lanka to an enviable 317-6.
Alex Hales and James Taylor could well be in line to push their case, as England resume the series on Saturday.