The Japan Times - Wellalage and Mendis star as Sri Lanka level England series in thriller

"I'm so happy winning and getting the hundred," said player-of-the-match Kusal. "The overall performance was very good."

England were cruising to a target of 322 while Tom Banton (73) and Ben Duckett (67) shared a first-wicket stand of 143.

Sri Lanka had been hammered 3-0 in a preceding T20 campaign but Wellalage dragged them back into this match. He removed both openers and home captain Harry Brook to reduce England to 157-3. The left-arm spinner finished with figures of 3-49.

"Wellalage bowled really well, the whole team, after the powerplay," said Mendis

Jos Buttler then threatened to win the game with a barrage of boundaries.

But on 64 he pulled up with what a team spokesman said was a "left hamstring twinge" and retired hurt, with England still requiring 68 off 75 balls for victory.

Rehan Ahmed immediately fell for a duck, caught down the legside by wicketkeeper Mendis off Dilshan Madushanka.

The runs dried up as Sri Lanka's previously wayward quicks gained reverse swing with the old ball and a target of 19 off the last over proved beyond England.

When Jamie Overton fell, a hobbling Buttler resumed his innings with England 295-7.

Will Jacks drove Asitha Fernando for six to complete a fifty following his unbeaten 46 during England's 89-run win in Tuesday's series opener at Chester-le-Street.

But Jacks then skyed Eshan Malinga to long-on.

Buttler, on strike at the start of the last over, connected well off Madushanka but the ball flew straight to deep midwicket and the 36-year-old, one of the outstanding white-ball batsmen of his generation, was gone for good on 69.

Kamindu Mendis saved what seemed a certain six by Jofra Archer to leave England needing an improbable 17 off three balls.

The teams now head to London for a series-decider at the Oval on Sunday.

- 'Outsanding game' -

An upbeat Brook said: "It was an outstanding game...To restrict them to 320 (321) and have the chance to chase that down was a hell of an effort. The lads got the chase off to a flyer. You couldn't really ask for much more.

Brook insisted a series decider was just what England needed ahead of next year's 50-over World Cup in southern Africa.

"We've got a great opportunity now to try and win this series, and a great opportunity for 12 months' time," he said. "In pressure situations, like the one that awaits us at the Oval, it will be great to see where we are as a team."

Thursday's game would not have gone the distance without Wellalage.

He bowled Duckett with a sharply turning delivery and had Banton stumped by Mendis.

Wellalage then pinned the in-form Brook lbw for just one.

Mendis's decision to persist with the expensive Sachindu Colombage, appearing in just his second ODI, was rewarded when the leg-spinner had Joe Root caught at short cover for just 15.

Buttler completed a 36-ball fifty with a flicked six off Colombage, whose six overs cost 55 runs, and struck the next delivery high over long-off for another six.

Earlier, Mendis led from the front with a superb 121 in Sri Lanka's 321-6.

With Kamindu Mendis (54), he shared a second-wicket partnership of 137 after winning the toss.

Kusal had a reprieve on 17 when Gus Atkinson dropped a two-handed catch in a swirling breeze at fine leg.

Kusal reached his seventh ODI century in style when he cover-drove Overton to the boundary for an 82-ball hundred, including 12 fours and three sixes, before he holed out to leg-spinner Ahmed.

K.Okada--JT