Michael Roberts
A magnificent all-round performance saw the Sri Lankan Women’s team upset the pecking order in T20 women’s cricket during the warm-up matches being played in the Karen Roltan Oval in my ‘home-town’ of Adelaide this Tuesday 18th February. England are up there among the leading sides in this form of the game and Sri Lankan lost badly to South Africa in the warm-up on Sunday.
An England batswoman returns to the pavilion in manifest annoyance (at herself)…while heroines in the making, Chamari and Hasini wait to open the innings
But Sri Lanka thumped England today Tuesday: after England won the toss and batted, they were skittled for 122 run courtesy of impetuous batting, superb fielding and erratic running between the wickets – with Sashikala Siriwardene bagging 4 kts for 22 and Chamari Atapattu getting 3 for 21.
And THEN, man o man, the lefties, Chamari Atapattu (78 n.o. in 59 balls) and Hasini Perera (29 n.o.) hammered 123 runs in 12.3 overs. Chamari’s controlled innings was effected in 50 balls and included 8 fours and 5 sixes.
It was a drubbing.
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SOME SCENES …. ROUND AND ABOUT
some ‘spectators’ …. 
other spectators
Sri Lankan team ‘huddle’ before setting out to field …
…. and the customary acknowledgment of a matchp layed in good spirit
COMMENT from Heather Knight the England captain a few days later:
“The runners-up in the 2018 edition of the tournament, and holders of the 50-over World Cup, England suffered an eyebrow-raising 10-wicket loss in that practice match in Adelaide. Knight conceded they were blindsided by the pace of the Sri Lanka spinners and a superlative all-round performance from opposition captain Chamari Atapattu, who took 3 for 21 and made 78 not-out after England opted to bat.
“It was a good leveller, to be honest,” Knight said of the shock loss. “We were well off our best but Sri Lanka played really brilliantly. Their spinners bowled a lot quicker than we are used to. We probably didn’t adapt very quickly and then Atapattu just played a brilliant innings, and that can happen in T20 cricket.
“It’s that kind of a game; if you are not completely on it, you could bite your nails a little bit. Credit to them, they played brilliantly, but I am not too worried. We’ve had massive preparations, we’ve played really good cricket and we’ve been learning along the way as well, so it’s about how well we start [the tournament].”
The defeat to Sri Lanka came after a comfortable win over New Zealand in England’s first practice match two days prior, led by Knight’s unbeaten 45 and a three-for from Katherine Brunt. That victory hauled the team back into winning ways after an up-and-down performance in a closely contested tri-series last month saw them finish last on net run rate, with India and eventual winners Australia reaching the final.
Great news. This should give them the confidence to reach heights not reached before. Hope they do well in the competition.
Great… Very refreshing news though it was a warm up game.
Now must be brimming with confidence.
Best wishes to SL for a successful Tournament.