- Published
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.
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England → publish → 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.
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England → face → overs
That score appeared only par but a professional bowling performance limited Sri Lanka's scoring and found regular wickets.
Jacks
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performance → appear → wickets
Sri Lanka, much improved in the field but far too timid with the bat, were bowled out for 176.
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Lanka → improve → 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.
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who → win → 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.
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that → conclude → memory
England grind it out
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England → grind → it
For the first time since 2019 they did not hit a six batting first.
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they → hit → six
Captain Brook and coach Brendon McCullum should not mind that, however.
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Brook → mind → that
For too long, England have only been able to win when piling up big scores.
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England → win → 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.
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quality → dismiss → opposition
But Brook was the only batter to fall in a middle order collapse of 4-29 playing an aggressive shot.
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Brook → fall → 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.
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Buttler → slice → eight
After the collapse, Jacks could have swung hard but batted responsibly to stretch out the innings from 211-7 in the 39th over.
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Jacks → swing → 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.
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Fernando → take → Archer
Jacks' importance to England's white-ball sides is growing with every match.
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importance → grow → 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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they → need → win
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.
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who → stand → 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.
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he → run → overs
Those figures were harsh but he will hope for better before the series is out.
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series → hope → better
Instead, it was Jacks who played the lead spinner's role with his off-spin, barely bowling a bad ball.
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who → play → 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.
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who → pin → on
When Fernando and Dilshan Madushanka followed, Jacks had the best figures by an England spinner since Vic Marks in 1984.
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Jacks → follow → 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.
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they → defend → Trophy
Gus Atkinson bowled well for 1-25 in seven overs and Jamie Overton 2-21 in five.
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Overton → bowl → five
The seamers all bowled hard lengths and were rewarded.
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seamers → bowl → lengths
The Aporia
