Curran the toast of England

from DEAN WILSON in Kandy

IF THE bars around the Pallekele stadium weren’t within full view of the ground, Sam Curran would have emptied them.

The 20-year-old all-rounder isn’t old enough to buy a drink in Sri Lanka. But he produced an innings those with five times as many caps would be thrilled to deliver.

For the third time he managed to pull England out of a sticky situation, his clean, crisp striking swinging the game firmly towards his side.

He swatted 64 vital runs to add to Jos Buttler’s brilliant 63 and by the time he was finished, England’s total of 285 on a dry and turning pitch was starting to look like a match-winning one.

And six times Curran sent the ball soaring over the ropes. “I’m not sure if I’ve hit six sixes before,” he said. “It was good fun out there and we’re in a great position.

“I’m a person who just goes out there and tries to give my best for the team and luckily there has been a few nice knocks.

“I try to play in my natural style and mindset and it came off today. I think I play my best cricket when I’m keeping an open mind and watching the ball.”

Curran managed to hang around on a tricky surface before hitting out with last man Jimmy Anderson for company.

Earlier, Buttler took his mastery of the reverse sweep to new levels to ensure England had a foothold in the match.

“We’ve trained hard against spin in the nets and Jos prepared massively for this game by playing those shots in training,” said Curran.

“He was so confident sweeping and reverse sweeping, I just slogged a few at the end and luckily it came off.”

England lost

Keaton Jennings early to the seam of Suranga Lakmal but made it to lunch at

120-4 while Rory

Burns used the sweep to good effect in his 43.

Jack Leach closed out the day with a little bit of magic, bowling Kaushal

Silva with a beauty.