England win at Banks Homes Riverside for the fourth year running with a strong all-round performance to earn an 89-run victory over Sri Lanka in the opening Metro Bank One Day International.
Will Jacks starred with his maiden ODI five-wicket haul, claiming figures of 5/22 in seven overs to help dismiss Sri Lanka for 176, despite fight shown by Kusal Mendis (42) and Dunith Wellalage (45) for the visitors.
Harry Brook top scored for the Three Lions with 67, backed up by Joe Root’s 44 as the Yorkshire pair shared England’s highest partnership before an unbeaten Will Jacks 46 helped the hosts rally to 265 amid a Sri Lanka bowling fightback.
International debutant Sachindu Colombage collected the visitors’ standout figures with 3/44 while Asitha Fernando also chipped in with a trio of wickets as Sri Lanka claimed their last seven dismissals for 83 runs.
Tom Banton fell early to Fernando for 10 but Ben Duckett and Joe Root sailed through the remainder of the opening powerplay, England 64 for one after 10 overs.
Wellalage trapped Duckett lbw in the following over on 32, with the pair having added 51 from 48 balls.
Root continued his fine 50-over form, punishing deliveries on his pads and outside off stump but was demoted to second fiddle when Harry Brook came to the crease.
The England white ball captain took a liking to the spinners, striking four boundaries off Wellalage and debutant Colombage – the latter bowling Root for his first Sri Lanka scalp.
Brook passed 50 for the 10th time in ODIs from 49 balls and coasted to 67 alongside Jos Buttler, before skying Dushmantha Chameera into the deep.
Buttler made 31 before he became Colombage’s second international victim falling to a flatter delivery as the Three Lions were closing in on 200 in the 35th over.
Rehan Ahmed and Jamie Overton both departed cheaply before the final 10 overs, leaving England 211 for seven.
Jacks rallied alongside Gus Atkinson sharing 30 – the latter departing to Dilshan Madushanka, before Fernando saw off both Jofra Archer and Josh Tongue.
The visitors made a fast start in response scoring 17 from the first two overs but as the runs stopped flowing Atkinson claimed England’s first in the sixth over.
A switch of ends for Tongue saw Sri Lanka lose Pathum Nissanka caught behind for 27 as the visitors struggled to breach far beyond four runs per over at 48 for two.
Jacks and Overton joined the fun as wickets fell in back-to-back overs, leaving Gary Kirsten’s side 85 for four.
The Surrey pair struck in quick succession again – Jacks accounting for visiting captain Kusal Mendis on 42.
Wellalage fought with an entertaining 45 from 36 but became the first of three wickets to fall in four balls in the 37th over as Jacks wrapped it up in rapid fashion.