England secured a comprehensive 223-run victory against Sri Lanka at The Oval, clinching the three-match ODI series 2-1. This result marks England’s fifth consecutive bilateral ODI series win over the visitors. Opting to bat first, the hosts posted a formidable 355 for 7, driven by Tom Banton’s maiden ODI hundred and half-centuries from Harry Brook and Jordan Cox.
The England innings began on a rocky note when Dilshan Madushanka dismissed Ben Duckett for a five-ball duck in the second over. However, Joe Root and Banton stabilized the proceedings, reaching 50 for 1 by the 10th over. Banton played with fluency, launching his first six off Madushanka in the 14th over, while Root—who benefited from a dropped catch at slip on his ninth-over score—faced a tough spell of 12 consecutive dot balls. Their 62-run partnership ended when Janith Liyanage trapped Root lbw for 18 off 37 deliveries following a successful review. Root, meanwhile, had a lucky break in the ninth over when Pathum Nissanka spilled a thick outside edge at slip, and he struggled to get going as he faced 12 dots in a row.
Harry Brook joined Banton, and although he initially struggled, he gained momentum after a reprieve in the 21st over when wicketkeeper Kusal Mendis failed to grasp a tough edge. Sri Lanka’s fielding woes continued as they missed multiple opportunities to review lbw appeals, one of which featured a faint edge from Banton. As the pair settled in, Brook accelerated to reach a 49-ball 50, supported by Banton, who cleared the ropes against Eshan Malinga and Sachindu Colombage to reach his milestone 95-ball century. By the time Asitha Fernando removed Brook for 77 in the 35th over, the duo had put on 150 runs. Banton was eventually dismissed for 126, leaving England at 251 for 4 after 40 overs. With UltraEdge indicating there was some glove involved, sri Lanka also opted against reviewing an lbw appeal against Brook later in the innings. Brook, who was on 17 off 32, finally found some momentum as he struck two fours and a six off Liyanage in the 26th over, followed by a boundary off Eshan Malinga and a maximum off Colombage en route to a 49-ball 50. And the third wicket pair raised a century stand, banton hit sixes off Malinga and Colombage as he moved into the 90s. With the bowler also getting hit for two more fours by Brook in the same over, the opener then reached a 95-ball 100 with a four off Wellalage in the 33rd over. Conceding 22 in the 34th over, as Banton dispatched him for two sixes – with the first maximum helping England past 200, madushanka went for runs too.
England’s lower-order surge in the final 10 overs added a vital 104 runs. Jordan Cox anchored this phase with a brisk 42-ball 50, while Will Jacks and Jamie Overton provided explosive cameos to push the final total to 355. Asitha Fernando finished as the pick of the Sri Lankan bowlers with figures of 3-64.
Sri Lanka’s pursuit of the mammoth target collapsed quickly. Sonny Baker claimed his maiden ODI wicket by dismissing Pathum Nissanka for 1, and despite a brief flurry of boundaries from Kusal Mendis and Kamindu Mendis, Gus Atkinson soon removed Kamindu. Kusal Mendis, who struck 35 off 26 balls, top-edged an Atkinson delivery to midwicket, leaving Sri Lanka reeling. Jofra Archer’s introduction to the attack coincided with a period of consolidation between Pavan Rathnayake and Charith Asalanka, but the resistance was brief. A mix-up in the middle led to Rathnayake’s run-out, and Asalanka soon fell for 7 after miscuing a pull shot off Root.
The collapse accelerated as Liam Dawson tore through the middle order, trapping Dunith Wellalage for 5, dismissing Sachindu Colombage, and removing Asitha Fernando. Between these dismissals, Janith Liyanage attempted a counterattack, but his departure for 19 off the bowling of Jamie Overton effectively signaled the end. The innings concluded in the 30th over when Will Jacks dismissed Eshan Malinga, with Root taking a sharp catch at leg-slip. Sri Lanka was bowled out for 132, with Dawson (3-26) and Atkinson (2-26) leading the bowling effort in a dominant display for England.
