Jacks shines with bat and ball as England grind out win over Sri Lanka
Will Jacks' all-round performance led England to an 89-run victory over Sri Lanka in the first one-day international at Chester-le-Street, putting the hosts on course for a third straight ODI series win.
England secured a solid, if unspectacular, 89-run victory over Sri Lanka in the first of three one-day internationals at Chester-le-Street, continuing their recent upturn in white-ball cricket.
Batting first on a slow, low pitch, England were bowled out for 265 in 48.1 overs. Harry Brook top-scored with 67 and Joe Root added 44, while Will Jacks finished unbeaten on 46, helping the innings recover after a middle-order collapse saw four wickets fall for just 29 runs.
Jacks then excelled with the ball, removing Sri Lanka's key batters Kusal Mendis and Charith Asalanka before wrapping up the tail to finish with career-best figures of 5-22 — the best bowling figures by an England spinner since 1984. Sri Lanka were bowled out for 176, having fielded well but batted far too cautiously.
Sri Lanka's debutant leg-spinner Sachindu Colombage impressed, bowling Root and later dismissing both Jos Buttler and Jamie Overton to finish with figures of 3-44.
The win extended England's winning run against Sri Lanka in white-ball cricket to ten matches in a row this year and moved them closer to a third consecutive ODI series victory, with the series able to be sealed on Thursday at Headingley ahead of the final match on Sunday at The Oval.
With Adil Rashid unavailable through injury, attention turned to leg-spinner Rehan Ahmed, whose match did not go to plan — he was run out for two, dropped a catching chance and conceded 46 runs from his seven overs.
England's seam bowlers also contributed, with Gus Atkinson taking 1-25 and Jamie Overton finishing with 2-21.
