Sangakkara century guides Lankans to series-clinching win

HOME ADIEU: Sri Lankan wicketkeeper-batsman Kumar Sangakkara, playing his last international in his hometown of Kandy, bids an emotional farewell to his adoring fans as he leads the team off the field after winning the sixth ODI by 90 runs yesterday. Sangakkara will retire from one-dayers after the 2015 World Cup. (AFP)

AFP/KandyKumar Sangakkara slammed a run-a-ball 112 to set up Sri Lanka’s series-clinching 90-run win over England in the sixth one-day international in Kandy yesterday.  The victory helped Sri Lanka take an unassailable 4-2 lead in the seven-match series with one more game to be played in Colombo on Tuesday. The in-form Sangakkara hit 12 fours and two sixes as Sri Lanka posted an imposing 292-7 before bowling out the visitors for 202 off 41.3 overs. It was the 20th ODI ton for the stylish left-hander, who is set to retire after the World Cup early next year. Fast bowler Suranga Lakmal took a career-best 4-30 while Sachithra Senanayake picked 3-33. England have now lost six of their last seven ODI series and nine of their last 12 ODIs. Joe Root top-scored with 55 after his side were off to a quick start, scoring 50 runs in the first 10 overs. Root, fresh from his match-winning century in the last game, however, got little help from the other batsmen.  Captain Alastair Cook’s wretched form with the bat continued, making just one run before being trapped leg-before by Senanayake off the third ball of the innings. Cook has scored just one half-century in his last 21 ODI innings. Earlier in the day, the skipper had dropped an easy catch off Sangakkara when the batsman was on 41. “It was real tough day, we bowled pretty well at the start”, Cook said. On his current poor form, the beleaguered England captain said: “It is very hard. You want to score runs, I have done that before but it is not just happening. We came here to make it three all...” Cook may lose ODI captaincy  Alastair Cook’s role as England captain for next year’s World Cup was cast into doubt when head coach Peter Moores said his position would be reviewed after the current one-day series in Sri Lanka. Cook was last week named as skipper of a provisional 30-man squad for next year’s tournament in Australia and New Zealand but has continued to cut a beleaguered figure at the helm of the one-day side. The 29-year-old has averaged under 18 with the bat. “We review everything at the end of every series, we’ve always said that,” Moores said when asked if Cook would be captain at the World Cup. “We make no bones that we’re passionate to try and get our best side to go out and win a World Cup. Cook needs runs but he’s also had some great times as an England player. He’s in a tough patch at the moment but that’s something he’s working hard to get out of.” Cook, though, still believes he is the man to lead the side at the World Cup. “You want to lead from the front and when it’s not happening for you it’s incredibly frustrating. I’m a better player than I’ve shown at the moment and I’ve just got to keep going,” Cook said.