The first ODI between England and Sri Lanka was one of the best games of the recent times. England pacer Liam Plunkett hit the last ball of the match for six to earn his team a dramatic tie against Sri Lanka in the first one-day international in Nottingham on Tuesday.

After reducing England to 82 for 6, Sri Lanka would have hoped to win their first game on the tour.

Chasing 287 for victory, England were in a spot of bother after being collapsed to 82 for six before a 138 runs partnership between wicket-keeper batsman Jos Buttler( 93 ) and Chris Woakes (95*) revived their hopes.
Needing 10 runs off the last two balls, Woakes scrambled three before Plunkett launched Nuwan Pradeep over long-off for a six to tie the match.

“It was nice to get that one out. Woakesey and Jos put us in a great position and we were backing ourselves to take it as deep as possible,” Plunkett told the BBC after the match.

“It just shows the depth we have got. It’s good for the team – you know you can carry on all the way through an innings.”

England made a poor start losing Jason Roy, Alex Hales, Joe Root and Jonny Bairstow with only 30 runs on the board.

Captain Eoin Morgan steadied the ship with 43 but his team were still in a spot of bother when Woakes and Buttler came together.

It was England’s eighth tie in 665 one-day internationals.

“I thought we had the game in the bag for most of the overs. Unfortunately, the yorker fell just off-line and went for a six,” Sri Lanka captain Mathews said.

“We fell short by 15, 20 runs. It was a brilliant wicket to bat on but we had to be satisfied with 286. We just kept losing wickets at crucial times.”

Sri Lanka are still winless on the tour after losing the test series 2-0. The next game of the five-match one-day series is in Birmingham on Friday.

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