Will Jacks starred as England continued their white-ball stranglehold over Sri Lanka this 12 months by battling to an 89-run win within the series-opening ODI at Chester-le-Avenue.
Final week’s 3-0 T20 sequence clear sweep positioned low expectations on these three ODIs however Sri Lanka are one spot above England within the 50-over world rankings and restricted their opponents to 265.
5 of England’s high six acquired previous 30 however solely Harry Brook, with 67 off 69 balls, went to a half-century, one of many solely batters to search out fluency on a gradual, low pitch on the Banks Houses Riverside.
A batting line-up famed for its powerhouse skills was unable to hit a single six, albeit at one of many greatest grounds within the nation, however Sri Lanka by no means got here near ending their barren run in opposition to their hosts as they have been all out for 176.
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PICTURES: Owen Humphreys/PA)
Aggressive complete
Jacks adopted up his 46 not out, which ensured England reached what appeared a aggressive complete at midway, with an ODI-best 5 for 22 – outshining fellow spinner Rehan Ahmed, who took one for 46 after being drafted in for his injured mentor Adil Rashid.
England have now received their final 10 limited-overs conferences in opposition to Sri Lanka in 2026, whereas this was a fifth triumph of their final seven ODIs, an uptick after dropping 11 of 15 50-over matches final 12 months.
With subsequent 12 months’s World Cup in southern Africa simply over a 12 months away, Brook could also be inspired that his aspect confirmed they might grind their method to victory fairly than merely outmuscling their rivals.
Brook’s day started by successful the toss however Tom Banton’s audition as the newest opening associate to Ben Duckett fell flat, the recalled right-hander making 10 earlier than being overwhelmed all finally ends up by Asitha Fernando’s great bail-trimmer.
High-quality debut
Duckett confirmed flashes of his industrious finest in his 32 solely to overlook a sweep and get pinned in entrance by gradual left-armer Dunith Wellalage, taking a evaluate with him, earlier than Joe Root and Brook set to work.
Root was sometimes unobtrusive as he handed 23,000 worldwide runs however with a fifty in sight, he went again to Sri Lanka’s debutant leg-spinner Sachindu Colombage however noticed his off-stump knocked again for 44, ending his union with Brook at 68 off 70 balls and Root’s personal run of 404 runs between ODI dismissals.
Brook defied the low bounce to unfurl some crisp drives and meaty pulls however with England sitting fairly on 182 for 3 after 31 overs, he charged Dushmantha Chameera and holed out to deep cowl.
That was the start of England dropping 4 for 29 in 46 deliveries, with Colombage persevering with a wonderful debut by snaring Jos Buttler lbw for 31 and bowling Jamie Overton via the gate to complete with three for 44.
Subdued
Jacks then held the innings collectively, slicing free with 4 successive fours off Chameera to drive England previous 250, however Fernando yorked Jofra Archer and Josh Tongue to wrap up the innings.
Pathum Nissanka and Kamindu Mendis every stroked Archer to the boundary within the first over of the reply however Sri Lanka have been subdued thereafter, solely including one other 28 runs within the remaining 9 overs of the powerplay.
Kamindu Mendis loosely swung Gus Atkinson to Duckett for 14 and whereas Ahmed spilled a low return probability to reprieve Nissanka on 25, the Sri Lanka opener added simply one other two runs earlier than half-heartedly driving at Tongue and edging to Buttler.
Jacks, the sixth bowler used, then got here to the fore once more, eradicating skilled campaigners Charith Asalanka and Kusal Mendis as each have been dismissed lbw after lacking sweeps.
Writing on the wall
Sri Lanka captain Kusal Mendis had appeared in good contact for his 42 after harm sidelined him for the T20 sequence however as soon as he was dismissed, the sixth wicket to fall, the writing seemed to be on the wall for the vacationers.
Ahmed acquired within the wickets column by snaring Colombage lbw earlier than coming in for some punishment from Wellalage, who launched the leg-spinner and Archer for the one two sixes of the day in an entertaining cameo.
Wellalage went for one large swing too many and perished for 45 after skying a catch to Overton to provide Jacks his third wicket.
He collected his fourth and fifth later within the over, with Fernando holing out and Dilshan Madushanka bowled first ball, to complete with the second-best figures by an England spinner in an ODI.
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