Swing kings Malinga and Woakes can prosper in Kandy

Third ODI
Sky Sports Cricket, 10am Wednesday

England began their ODI series in Sri Lanka brightly amid the rain in Dambulla last week and it is little surprise that the world number ones are chalked up at 4-11 to go 2-0 up in Kandy.

The Three Lions raced to 92-2 from 15 overs before the first ODI was washed out on Wednesday and then prevailed by 31 runs on the DLS-method on Saturday.

Sri Lanka have lost 36 of their last 50 completed 50-over contests and they have been beaten in four of the last five ODIs at the Pallekele International Stadium. That sole victory came in August against South Africa, but the Proteas had already claimed the series spoils with victory at the venue three days previously and they rested plenty of their senior players.

England have to change a winning side because spinning all-rounder Liam Dawson has been ruled out for the rest of the tour with a side strain but they are unlikely to shuffle their ranks significantly.

Unfortunately, more bad weather is expected in hill country, with showers forecast throughout this day-nighter and no reserve day is scheduled.

The drainage system at the Pallekele Stadium is excellent though so passages of play could well be possible and splitting stakes on Woakes and Lasith Malinga being their team's top bowlers is the best-value betting approach.

Woakes made the new white ball wobble on Saturday in Dambulla when taking 3-26 and claimed 6-47 and 2-51 at Kandy in December 2014.

There were also hauls of 3-41 in Hambantota and 2-68 at the RPS in Colombo in that 5-2 ODI series defeat and his current limited-overs consistency is underlined by the fact that he took two or more wickets in four of the five ODIs in New Zealand in March.

Malinga looked back to his brilliant best after a series of injuries in Dambulla on Saturday with 5-44. He seemed to surprise Jason Roy for pace and lift when the opener prodded a leg-side length ball to midwicket for a fourth-ball duck and dismissed Morgan, a 12th ODI ton in his sights, and Moeen Ali with consecutive slower balls. Woakes and Dawson could not deal with trademark yorkers of varied speeds either.

Slinga has eight multiple-wicket ODI hauls in Kandy with a best return of 4-24 against South Africa.

If the outlook brightens up then backing Thisara Perera to get 42 or more performance points - 20 points are awarded for each wicket, ten for each catch and one for each run - and Joe Root to hit a fifty are wagers that appeal too.

Perera is a sparky all-rounder, with underrated cutters, who prospers when confident and Saturday's 44 not out, including three hefty sixes, should have lifted his spirits. In August his make-ups in Kandy against South Africa were 96 and 91 with a haul of 4-75 and a knock of 51 being the main contributions.

Root's 71 on Saturday was an eighth ODI score of 50 or more this calendar year and he made 104 and 55 in Kandy in 2014.

Recommendations
C Woakes top England bowler
1pt 7-2 Bet Bright
L Malinga top Sri Lanka bowler
1pt 7-2 Betfair, Paddy Power

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