A 3-0 drubbing in the T20 leg of their tour of England doesn’t offer much hope that Sri Lanka will fare any better when these two sides renew hostilities in a three-match ODI series starting in Durham on Tuesday, and unless the weather intervenes, another whitewash could well be on the cards.
News that Niroshan Dickwella, Kusal Mendis and Danushka Gunathilaka have been flown home following breaches to the team’s bio-secure bubble on Sunday night has left the tourists’ modest batting resources even more depleted and Eoin Morgan will expect to use the next week to give further opportunities to his fringe white-ball players.
One such player is DAWID MALAN, the number one-ranked T20I batsman in the world who was back to his best with a brilliant 76 at the weekend and will now be hoping to further press his case for a regular spot in the 50-over side following injury to Jos Buttler.
Both make strong appeal in the Top England Batsman market for Tuesday – especially with Jason Roy missing Saturday’s final T20I due to injury and Buttler and Stokes already ruled out of this series – but I really can’t see Sri Lanka coming close to winning and as such, I’d rather take Root and Malan at bigger prices in the Top Match Batsman and Man of the Match markets. Root can be backed at 11/2 (Betway) and 9/1 (Paddy Power and Betfair) respectively, with Malan available at 17/2 (Betway and 12/1 (Sky Bet) in the same markets.
I’m happy to split stakes four ways on the Yorkshire pair for all fellow Headingley hitter, Jonny Bairstow, looms a big danger at the top of the order. While his red-ball stock has fallen sharply in recent times, Bairstow has developed into a limited-overs giant and I’m just hoping his sluggish fifty on Saturday – by his high standards anyway – and the presence of impressive opening bowler Dushmantha Chameera in the away attack means he is worth taking on.
Posted at 1330 BST on 28/06/21
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