England Lions 76 for 1 (Walter 34*) beat Sri Lanka 156 for 9 (Mishara 31, Crane 2-20) by nine wickets (DLS method)
England Lions defeated Sri Lanka by nine wickets under the DLS method in a rain-affected second T20 warm-up at Beckenham, chasing a revised target of 73 from eight overs with 10 balls to spare.
Sri Lanka posted 156 for nine after being sent in, with Kamil Mishara top-scoring with 31 off 17 balls. But persistent rain disrupted the Lions’ chase, reducing their innings first to 12 overs and then to eight, before Paul Walter’s unbeaten 34 guided the hosts to a comfortable victory.
The sides had agreed to play with 13 players each, although a maximum of 11 players were permitted to bat.
Sri Lanka made a strong start, reaching 70 for one at the end of the powerplay. Pathum Nissanka was the only wicket to fall during the opening six overs, caught by Mason Crane off Saqib Mahmood for 23.
Mishara continued the momentum, striking 31 from 17 balls before he holed out off Crane and was caught on the boundary by Ben Mayes. Lahiru Udara then fell for 13, hitting James Coles to Crane, while Kamindu Mendis made just two before sweeping Coles to Tom Hartley.
Dasun Shanaka was caught by Hartley off Crane for 13, and Hartley then accounted for Janith Liyanage, who was caught by Walter for five.
Sri Lanka captain Charith Asalanka made 23 before he was caught by Walter off Henry Crocombe. Tharindu Ratnayake provided a late boost with a quickfire 22, hitting Hartley for two sixes in the 19th over before miscued a shot and was caught and bowled.
Dunith Wellalage was run out for 10 in the final over by wicketkeeper Joe Moores, leaving Maheesh Theekshana and Dushmantha Chameera unbeaten on one and nought respectively.
Crane was the pick of the England Lions bowlers, finishing with two for 20, while Hartley and Coles also claimed two wickets each.
Rain was already falling at the innings break, and England’s target was initially set at 108 from 12 overs. Walter and Ben McKinney raced to 43 without loss by the end of the third over, but another heavy shower forced a further revision, leaving the Lions needing 27 from four overs.
McKinney was caught by Eshan Malinga off Theekshana for 19, but Mayes added 10 from seven balls before Walter finished the contest in emphatic fashion.
The left-hander launched Chameera over backward square for a towering six, sealing a nine-wicket victory with 10 balls remaining.
Walter’s unbeaten 34 was the decisive contribution in a chase that was repeatedly interrupted by the weather, while Sri Lanka will take encouragement from their aggressive powerplay and the late hitting of Ratnayake despite falling short of a competitive total.
