England's batsmen fail AGAIN as Alastair Cook's side collapse to miserable defeat in second ODI against Sri Lanka  

• Sri Lanka beat England by eight wickets in second one-day international 
• Mahela Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakkara star for Sri Lanka 
• England were bowled out for a measly 185 in Colombo 
• The tourists only used 43 of their overs in reduced overs clash 

By Lawrence Booth for MailOnline

Published: 06:47 EST, 29 November 2014 | Updated: 09:02 EST, 29 November 2014

Try as he might, Alastair Cook just cannot rid himself of Kevin Pietersen. As England crashed to another one-day defeat, this time by eight wickets with more than 10 overs to spare, Cook’s former team-mate and unfailing bête noire was calling for his resignation on Twitter.

The worry for Cook, as Sri Lanka moved with embarrassing ease into a 2-0 lead in this seven-match series, is that Pietersen was able to do so without sounding bitter.

‘Dear Alastair,’ he tweeted, ‘if you care about England's chances this winter, pls resign and just concentrate on Test cricket... ‪#getHalesin’. 

VIDEO Scroll down to watch Sri Lankan and English captains paying tribute to Phillip Hughes  

England's batsman Jos Buttler looks back at his wicket after being bowled during the second ODI

Kumar Sangakkara nudges the ball for a single during the Sri Lankan reply in Colombo 

Alex Hales, the talented Nottinghamshire opener who has watched both defeats in Colombo from the pavilion, might not have saved England as they slumped to a dismal 185.

But his selection alone might just have lifted a few spirits. And England’s spirits need lifting – the captain’s more than anyone’s.

Since Cook led England to the final of the Champions Trophy on home soil in 2013, he has presided over 11 losses in 16 one-day internationals. One of his five wins came against Scotland. 

Chris Woakes celebrates after dismissing Tillakaratne Dilshan but England struggled to grab hold of the game

Mahela Jayawardena sweeps beyond leg slip Ian Bell as the hosts romped home to victory

Jayawardena knocks past the dejected Buttler and England captain Alastair Cook on Saturday 

Thisara Perera wheels away after taking the wicket of the tourists' danger man Eoin Morgan

England’s lone series victory in that period – earlier this year in the Caribbean – came when Stuart Broad was in charge. And there are a maximum of 10 games left before the World Cup starts on February 14. Time is running out.

Cook the batsman is faring little better. The 22 he made in 37 balls here meant he has now gone 55 innings without a century in both Tests and one-day internationals.

Informed of Pietersen’s observation, he offered a weary grin: ‘Good job I’m not on social media. People are totally entitled to their view. That’s the nature of the beast when you’re on the outside. People believe what they want to believe.

Moeen Ali lumbers off the field after Dilshan bowled the opener, who made just two at the top of the order

Tailender Steven Finn can't believe the shot he played to Ajantha Mendis as Sri Lanka took control 

‘In our dressing-room, we’ve got to stay strong as a group. We’re the guys who have the honour of playing for England at this precise moment in time, and we’re the guys who have got the opportunity of turning it round – not other people on the outside.’

It has been a tough few days for the England captain, who had spent the build-up to this match presiding over a squad still coming to terms with the death of Australian batsman Phil Hughes.

For a while, the day proceeded in an air of unreality. A book of condolences was signed, a minute’s silence observed, and flags flown at half-mast above the Premadasa Stadium’s giant scoreboard.

As if to honour Hughes, who died after being hit by a bouncer, the first short ball did not arrive until the 28th over.

But if the players have felt his death strongly, especially the trio who once counted him as a county colleague – Moeen Ali, Eoin Morgan and Steven Finn – then there should be no mistake: England wanted to win this game. More than that, they needed to. 

Supporters paid tribute to Australian cricketer Phillip Hughes, who died earlier this week 

Ravi Bopara was handed a reprieve when dropped by Angelo Mathews and went on to make a fifty 

Instead, they managed only eight boundaries in 43 overs after rain had cut the match to 45 a side. Only Ravi Bopara and Joe Root passed 22. England’s bowlers were then effortlessly manoeuvred this way and that by Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene.

For the 15th time, these old friends added over 100 together. They have more than 25,000 one-day runs between them. These are stats of which England can only dream. By no stretch of the imagination was this an equal contest.

But it was England’s batting that let them down. Moeen Ali, fresh from a sparkling century three days earlier, fell in the second over to the off-breaks of Tillekeratne Dilshan, who then persuaded the strokeless Cook to slog-sweep to deep square leg.

In between, Ian Bell picked out long-off. Later, Eoin Morgan added to his own growing catalogue of cheap dismissals. 

Bopara was the only England batsman to really harm the home bowlers during a limp display 

Morgan trudges off after failing to kick on after making a start 

Root and Bopara, with his second half-century of the series, did their best, but England did not look like a side capable of curing all their ills in time for the World Cup. Hales and his county colleague James Taylor are itching for a go.

But as long as England keep losing and Cook keeps failing, there will be only one question in town.

Cook admitted: ‘You feel the heat when you’re not scoring runs. It’s only natural for anyone. I’ve just to keep doing what I’m doing. I’ve got to believe in myself and do my basics well.’

Does this result shake his faith in what he’s trying to do with his team? ‘No, I don’t think it does. I thought we took a lot out of the way we went about the first game. It’ll be a dent in our confidence. How we respond will be really important.’

The next game is on Wednesday in Hambantota. For England and Cook, it has already assumed the proportions of a must-win.

Sri Lankan and English captains pay tribute to Phillip Hughes

Comments (57)

Share what you think

• Newest
• Oldest
• Best rated
• Worst rated

 View all

The comments below have not been moderated.

The views expressed in the contents above are those of our users and do not necessarily reflect the views of MailOnline.

We are no longer accepting comments on this article.

Who is this week's top commenter? Find out now