Cricket: Perera sets up Sri Lanka win over England

LONDON, May 20, 2014 (AFP) - Thisara Perera starred with both bat and ball as Sri Lanka gained revenge for their World Twenty20 defeat by England with a nine-run win at The Oval on Tuesday. Man-of-the-match Perera made a rapid 49 in World Twenty20 champions Sri Lanka's 183 for seven and then captured the important wicket of England captain Eoin Morgan under the floodlights in this day/night clash.

On their way to winning this year's World Twenty20 in Bangladesh, Sri Lanka suffered a six-wicket loss to England in the group stage in March.

That match saw Alex Hales become the first England batsman to score a Twenty20 international hundred.

But in this floodlit Twenty20 his 66, albeit off 41 balls with seven fours and two sixes, was not enough to take England to victory. Dropped catches cost England dear in an innings where Sri Lanka, led by Perera, smashed 75 off the last six overs.

"I am pleased with my batting performance," Perera said at the presentation ceremony.

"It was a good batting track and we gave ourselves a good target to bowl at. It was good to get Eoin Morgan out, everyone knows he can hit every ball to the boundary so I'm really happy with that wicket.