Sri Lanka Masters won the toss and chose to bowl first at Vadodara Stadium. England's opening batsmen, Phil Mustard and Eoin Morgan, had a slow start due to early assistance for the bowlers with the new ball. Isuru Udana bowled with good line and length, not offering any loose balls to either Morgan or Mustard. The Sri Lanka Masters made their first breakthrough by dismissing captain Eoin Morgan for just 10 runs off 14 balls. At the end of the powerplay, England Masters had scored 41 runs for the loss of 1 wicket.
Despite the slow start from the batters, the powerplay was eventful for both teams. Sri Lanka's bowlers contributed to England's score by conceding several extras, including 11 wides during this period.
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Phil Mustard was the standout batter for England Masters, making an important contribution despite losing partners and lacking serious partnerships. He reached his half-century off 39 balls, hitting 3 sixes and 3 fours. However, the pitch was challenging for batters, showing its sluggish nature early on, which caused them to struggle. Mustard eventually fell victim to Udana, getting out on the very next ball after reaching his fifty.
In the final overs, Tim Bresnan and Chris Tremlett managed to add valuable runs, scoring 28 runs off 19 balls to help England Masters post a total of 146 runs for 5 wickets.
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The Sri Lanka Masters' bowling lineup will be pleased with their performance, having successfully restricted the England Masters to a manageable score. They took full advantage of the surface conditions, delivering a majority of good balls.
While a target of 147 may seem under par, given the pitch's behavior during the first innings, it could be more than enough. The surface may improve slightly for batting under lights, but this chase will still be tricky. If England Masters can take quick wickets during the powerplay, they might put up a strong fight against the Sri Lanka Masters.
Stay tuned for what promises to be an easy yet challenging chase.
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