Sri Lanka thrash England by 90 runs clinch series

(MENAFN- Arab Times) KANDY Sri Lanka Dec 13 (Agencies): Kumar Sangakkara slammed a run-a-ball 112 on Saturday to set up Sri Lanka's series-clinching 90-run win over England in the sixth one-day international in Kandy. The victory helped Sri Lanka take an unassailable 4-2 lead in the sevenmatch series with one more game to be played in Colombo on Tuesday. The in-form Sangakkara hit 12 fours and two sixes as Sri Lanka posted an imposing 292-7 before bowling out the visitors for 202 off 41.3 overs. It was the 20th ODI ton for the stylish left-hander who is set to retire after the World Cup early next year. Fast bowler Suranga Lakmal took a career-best 4-30 while Sachithra Senanayake picked 3-33. England have now lost six of their last seven ODI series and nine of their last 12 ODIs. Joe Root top-scored with 55 after his side were off to a quick start scoring 50 runs in the first 10 overs. Root fresh from his match-winning century in the last game however got little help from the other batsmen. Captain Alastair Cook's wretched form with the bat continued making just one run before being trapped leg before by Senanayake off the third ball of the innings. Cook has scored just one half-century in his last 21 ODI innings.

Earlier in the day the skipper had dropped an easy catch off Sangakkara when the batsman was on 41. 'It was real tough day we bowled pretty well at the start' Cook said. On his current poor form the beleaguered England captain said 'It is very hard. You want to score runs I have done that before but it is not just happening' 'We came here to make it three all... didn't play well so no complaints.' Lakmal returning to the side in place of Dhammika Prasad dismissed Ravi Bopara and Eoin Morgan off the second and third balls of the 18th over. But Jos Buttler survived the hat-trick ball with a firm push through mid-on for a boundary. Sangakkara playing his last international in his hometown of Kandy bid an emotional farewell to his adoring fans as he led the team off the field. 'It was great to have been brought up in Kandy. I have played cricket with many made friends and a lot of fans' Sangakkara added.

Meanwhile Alastair Cook's role as England captain for next year's World Cup was cast into doubt when head coach Peter Moores said his position would be reviewed after the team's current one-day series in Sri Lanka. Cook was last week named as skipper of a provisional 30-man squad for next year's tournament in Australia and New Zealand but has continued to cut a beleaguered figure at the helm of the one-day side.

The 29-year-old has averaged under 18 with the bat as the tourists slipped to a 4-2 series defeat in Sri Lanka with one game remaining. 'We review everything at the end of every series we've always said that' Moores told Sky Sports when asked if Cook would be captain at the World Cup. 'We make no bones that we're passionate to try and get our best side to go out and win a World Cup. Cook needs runs but he's also had some great times as an England player. He's in a tough patch at the moment but that's something he's working hard to get out of.' Cook's performance during England's 90-run defeat in the sixth one-dayer on Saturday typified the form that has led to a growing number of critics question his captaincy and his place in the team.

He dropped a routine catch off Kumar Sangakkara on 41 at the time and the left-hander went on to make a game-changing 112. The England captain scored just one run before succumbing to the second ball he faced.

Cook still believes he is the man to lead the side for the Tri-Series against Australia and India in January and the World Cup. 'We came into today with some high hopes so it's been a frustrating day all round and days like these don't make the job any easier' Cook said. 'Not scoring the runs I'd like is not a great place to be as a captain. You want to lead from the front and when it's not happening for you it's incredibly frustrating. I'm a better player than I've shown at the moment and I've just got to keep going.'