Here is the daily cricket round-up for 1 July.
Banton replaces Malan for final ODI
Tom Banton has been roped in as replacement for Dawid Malan ahead of the third and last ODI versus Sri Lanka. Malan, who got in the squad in place of Jos Buttler, has made himself unavailable due to personal reasons.
Banton has so far featured in six ODIs and nine T20Is. He struck a 47-ball century for Somerset last week in the ongoing Vitality Blast 2021.
As far as the series is concerned, England have taken an unassailable 2-0 lead with an eight-wicket victory on Friday. The last ODI will be played on Sunday, 4 July.
Mendis, Gunathilaka, Dickwella dropped for India series
Kusal Mendis, Danushka Gunathilaka and Niroshan Dickwella will not be considered for the limited-overs assignment against India, beginning next month.
They were sent home from England for breaching bio-secure protocols in Durham. As per some reports, they are likely to be handed a one-year suspension.
India are touring Sri Lanka for three ODIS and as many T20Is later this month. Shikhar Dhawan is leading the side, while Rahul Dravid has been appointed head coach.
West Indies level series against South Africa
A four-wicket haul from Dwayne Bravo, along with a Kieron Pollard blitz, helped West Indies secure a 21-run victory over South Africa. The series is now level at 2-2, and the decider will be played on 3 July.
Lendl Simmons got the hosts off an explosive start, but the other batters failed to capitalise on that. Simmons made 47 off 34, with 20 of it coming in the first over of the match. Pollard’s fifty, including three consecutive sixes off Kagiso Rabada, lifted West Indies to 167/6.
Quinton de Kock played valiantly but there was no support for him from the other end. Apart from de Kock’s 43-ball 60, none of the batters could even cross 20 runs. They could only manage 146/9.
England take unassailable 2-0 lead against Sri Lanka
Sam Curran’s five-for restricted Sri Lanka to 241/9 before half-centuries from Jason Roy, Joe Root and Eoin Morgan drove England to a comfortable victory.
Curran struck thrice in his first two overs to send Sri Lanka in a spot of bother. Dhananjaya de Silva (91) then led a counterattack, and with handy contributions from the lower-order, Sri Lanka managed to reach a face-saving total.
But England chased down the target without any stutters. Jason Roy and Jonny Bairstow gave them a solid start. Eoin Morgan (75) and Joe Root (68) then saw all by themselves, adding an unbroken 140-run partnership for the fourth wicket.