DBD top scores as tourists lose series

Kent cricket

Daniel Bell-drummond top scored for England Lions as they lost the one-day series against Sri Lanka A in Kurunegala.

The Kent batsman hit 51 batting at No.3 as the tourists – already two down in the five-match series – got starts with the bat but could not convert them into matchwinning scores.

Bell-drummond scored just two boundaries in a 67-ball innings, reaching his 11th List A half-century in the 47th oneday match of his career.

England Test hopefuls Keaton Jennings (22) and Ben Duckett (31) fell early and Bell-drummond was forced to rebuild.

Off-spinner Shehan Jayasuriya starred with bat and ball, taking 5-35 as the Lions were all out for 184 after winning the toss and choosing to bat. Then he hit 83 from as many balls as the Sri Lankans won by four wickets with 13 overs to spare to take a 3- 0 lead in the fivematch series.

The Lions tour ends with two matches in Colombo, today (Thursday) and Saturday.

Meanwhile, Sam Billings hit his second one-day international 50 as England beat West Indies in Antigua on Friday. The 25-year-old opened the batting and helped the tourists recover from 29-2 to post 296.

He shared a vital stand of 67 in 14.1 overs with captain Eoin Morgan (107) to steady the innings.

He hit seven boundaries in his 52 at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, where Kent played four matches on the FGS Plant Tour last month.

Billings later took a good catch at deep mid-wicket as Liam Plunkett and Chris Woakes collected four wickets each to dismiss the hosts for 251 as England took the lead in the three-match series.

Billings also claimed two catches when the hosts posted 225 all out with 13 balls remaining in the second match on Sunday.

However, he departed for a golden duck – one of five Englishmen dismissed in single figures – when he drilled Shannon Gabriel straight at Kieran Powell at mid-wicket.

Joe Root and Woakes went on to see England home by four wickets with 10 balls to spare.

Alex Hales was added to the squad ahead of the third and final match of the series in Barbados today (Thursday), leaving Billings’ place under threat.