SIR LANKA LEADS ENGLAND IN ONGOING SERIES

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England will be looking to claw their way back into the ODI series with Sri Lanka when game three takes place on Sunday December 7 at the Mahinda Rajapaksa International Cricket Stadium in Hambota, It will be a day and night affair.

Alastair Cook’s side slipped 2-0 down in the seven-match series following defeats in Colombo by 26 runs and eight wickets respectively.

But the tourists will be hoping that with the absence of veteran Sri Lanka batsman Mahela Jayawardene from the home side line up will bring about a change of fortunes. Sri Lanka have named Ashan Priyanjan as cover for Jayawardene but Thilina Kandamby seems most likely to replace the hosts’ absent No 4, who will retire after the 2015 World Cup.

Jayawardene, meanwhile, who scored 55 in the first ODI and 77 not out in the second, has not travelled with his team-mates for Wednesday’s game due to personal reasons.

England seamer Chris Woakes is recovering from a stomach bug and could keep his place, while fellow paceman Ben Stokes is pushing for a recall after sitting out Saturday’s second encounter.

Steven Finn should retain his spot in the attack and is confident the visitors can collect just their second win in 11 ODIs if they maintain their “aggression” with the bat and “adapt” with the ball.

He said: “To have two defeats and to lose in the manner we did in the last game was far from ideal, but the first game was a good marker for us about how we want to go about things with the bat.

There have been several calls for Captain Cook to be dropped in the aftermath of England’s comprehensive defeat on Saturday. The remaining ODI will be played on the 7th 10th 13th and the 16th of December.