Sri Lanka were left sweating on the fitness of captain Angelo Mathews for the second one-day international against England after the all-rounder was rated “70 percent” following yesterday’s practice session.
Today’s match at Edgbaston is a day/night clash starting at 1300 GMT, so the tourists do have a little extra time in which key all-rounder Mathews can demonstrate he has recovered fully from a hamstring strain.
The injury meant Mathews was off the field when England tail-ender Liam Plunkett struck the last ball of the match for six to seal a spectacular tie in Tuesday’s opening contest of a five-match series at Trent Bridge.
By that stage, Mathews had already underlined his worth to Sri Lanka by top-scoring with 73 in a total of 286 for nine, and then taking two early wickets with his medium pace as England collapsed to 30 for four and 82 for six.
If he is sidelined today, off-spinner Suraj Randiv is likely to come into the team, with wicket-keeper Dinesh Chandimal taking over as captain.
 
England’s Compton to take time out
Nick Compton is to take a break from cricket, the under-pressure England batsman’s county side Middlesex announced yesterday.
Compton repeatedly accepted he was playing for his England place during a recent home Test series against Sri Lanka where the number three managed just 51 runs in three matches at an average of 12.75.
The grandson of England batting great Denis Compton, Nick — a Test specialist who does not play short-form international cricket — has also struggled to make runs for Middlesex so far this season.
Now the hope is that by taking a break of unspecified length, Compton — a notably more intense cricketer than his celebratedly carefree grandfather — will be allowed to “recharge”.
Compton’s 16 Tests have yielded two centuries but a modest average of under 29 has put his place in jeopardy ahead of England’s upcoming four-match series at home to Pakistan, especially as he turns 33 on Sunday. Compton’s move could pave the way for an England recall for either Scott Borthwick or Ian Bell.

Ireland set for Lord’s clash with England
Ireland will face England on English soil for the first time when the teams meet in two one-day internationals next year, officials announced yesterday. The first match will take place in Bristol on May 5, with the second one-day international two days later at Lord’s on May 7.
Ireland are pushing for Test recognition. Ireland and England met for the first of seven ODIS between the two side in Belfast in 2006 when Marcus Trescothick’s century helped see England to a 38-run win. Five of the matches have been played in Ireland, with the Irish’s lone win over England coming at the 2011 World Cup in India.
Ireland also knocked Pakistan out of the 2007 World Cup and defeated the West Indies at last year’s edition in New Zealand, when only net run-rate stopped them qualifying for the knockout stages.