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First Metro Bank one-day international, Chester-le-Street
England 265 (48.1 overs): Brook 67 (69); Colombage 3-44
Sri Lanka 176 (37 overs): Wellalage 45 (36); Jacks 5-22
England won by 89 runs
Will Jacks’ all-round efforts helped England grind out an 89-run victory over Sri Lanka in the first one-day international at Chester-le-Street to continue their quiet revival in white-ball cricket.
Faced with a slow and low pitch, Jacks made 46 not out after 67 from Harry Brook and 44 from Joe Root, meaning England posted 265 despite being bowled out in 48.1 overs.
That score appeared only par but a professional bowling performance limited Sri Lanka’s scoring and found regular wickets.
Jacks took the big wickets of Kusal Mendis and Charith Asalanka and then wrapped up the tail for career-best figures of 5-22. Sri Lanka, much improved in the field but far too timid with the bat, were bowled out for 176.
England, who have now won 10 white-ball matches in a row against Sri Lanka this year, can seal a third ODI series win in a row with a game to spare on Thursday at Headingley.
The three-match contest concludes on Sunday at The Oval – a match that brings down the curtain on one of the most topsy-turvy summers in recent memory.
More to follow.
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England grind it out
This was not vintage England. For the first time since 2019 they did not hit a six batting first.
Captain Brook and coach Brendon McCullum should not mind that, however. For too long, England have only been able to win when piling up big scores.
Yes, they were dismissed for the 12th time since McCullum took charge of the white-ball sides last year and, as so often this summer, the quality of the opposition can be questioned.
But Brook was the only batter to fall in a middle order collapse of 4-29 playing an aggressive shot.
He sliced a drive to deep cover after batting in a restrained manner, while Sri Lanka’s debutant leg-spinner Sachindu Colombage, who found a hint of turn to hit Root’s off stump, had Jos Buttler lbw for 31 and bowled Overton with a googly for eight, was impressive.
After the collapse, Jacks could have swung hard but batted responsibly to stretch out the innings from 211-7 in the 39th over.
He took 18 runs from the 47th over and was primed to cut loose before Asitha Fernando, having dismissed opener Tom Banton for 10 with a bail-trimmer in the powerplay, found reverse swing to bowl Jofra Archer and Josh Tongue.
Jacks’ importance to England’s white-ball sides is growing with every match.
They will need bigger scores by the time the World Cup comes around in a year’s time but, after beating Sri Lanka at the start of the year and toppling India in July, they are now primed to enter two months of white-ball cricket overseas on the back of another series win.
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Jacks stands up
With Adil Rashid out of this series with a hand injury, much of the attention was on Rehan Ahmed, who has a rare chance to press his case as England’s leg-spinner.
After being carelessly run-out for two, he dropped a caught-and-bowled chance in his first over and conceded 46 runs in seven overs. He will hope for better before the series is out.
Instead, it was Jacks who played the lead spinner’s role with his off-spin, barely bowling a bad ball.
Asalanka and Mendis were pinned attempting sweeps and Dunith Wellalage, who hit two sixes in a 36-ball 45 at number seven, was tempted to sky a catch to mid-on. When Fernando and Dilshan Madushanka followed, Jacks had the best figures by an England spinner since Vic Marks in 1984.
England’s total was also the lowest they have defended in a full ODI since July 2022 – before their dismal 2023 World Cup or their winless run at last year’s Champions Trophy.
Gus Atkinson bowled well for 1-25 in seven overs and Jamie Overton 2-21 in five. The seamers all bowled hard lengths and were rewarded.
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