England vs Sri Lanka – 3rd One-Day International Match Preview & Prediction
THE FACTS
When is England vs Sri Lanka taking place? Sunday, July 4th, 2021 – 11:00 (UK)
Where is England vs Sri Lanka taking place? Bristol County Ground, Bristol
What is the expected weather for England vs Sri Lanka? 17-18c with a chance of light rain showers over the course of play
What channel is England vs Sri Lanka on? The match will be televised live on Sky Sports
Where can I stream England vs Sri Lanka? The match can be streamed live via SkyGo
LAST MEETING
England beat Sri Lanka by 8 wickets
THE TEAM NEWS
ENGLAND
- With the ODI series already secure, England will be looking to complete a 3-0 sweep over the tourists after dominating the second ODI at the Kia Oval.
- After Sri Lanka managed to record a score of 241/9, Eoin Morgan’s side light work of their target, chasing it down with eight wickets to spare as opener Jason Roy, number three batter Joe Root and Morgan all hit scores of well over 50.
- With Dawid Malan having left the squad due to personal reasons, his replacement Tom Banton could well be given an opportunity to play in this third ODI, whilst Sussex all-rounder George Garton may be in line for an England debut with thi match a perfect opportunity for Morgan to afford young players an opportunity.
SRI LANKA
- Sri Lanka again didn’t come close to England in the second ODI, with all six of their bowlers utilised recording economy rates of over 5 runs an over and only two managing to pick up a wicket..
- However, there was one positive in the batting performance of top order batter Dhananjaya de Silva scoring an excellent 91 to help give his side at least something substantial to defend, albeit in a losing cause.
- With numbers limited within the Sri Lankan squad due the sending home of three players due to bio bubble breaches, options to change the side are limited, although all-round Ramesh Mendis will be hoping for a recall to the starting line-up having been left out of the team for the second ODI.
THE PREDICTION
The weather gods may just show Sri Lanka some mercy in this third ODI with rain showers expected throughout the hours of play, leading the possibility of a result in serious doubt. The toss will therefore become a factor as both sides likely look to bowl first with an eye on the potential involvement of DLS. Whatever side England put out within their stacked squad should comfortably prove strong enough to beat this inexperienced Sri Lankan team who have been comprehensively outplayed over the course of the series so far. However, be sure to keep an eye on the weather forecast with disruptions to play expected.
