It’s been a rough few years for England’s 50-over side but the glow of their World Cup victory has not completely disappeared. Joe Root and Adil Rashid, both part of the 2019 class, were the headliners of the second one-day international against Sri Lanka, setting up a five-wicket victory to level the series.
Rashid led the England attack on a serious turner, taking two for 34 as Harry Brook used 40.3 overs of spin, limiting Sri Lanka to a total of 219. It was still a proper challenge, particularly in a must-win game for the tourists, their winless run away from home in ODIs having stretched to 11 on Thursday.
Root’s calming qualities were desperately required. He advanced to 75 before Asitha Fernando’s tailing yorker had him lbw, and it wasn’t the smoothest finish as Brook followed soon after. But Jos Buttler took the baton and was at the other end as Will Jacks ended the losing streak. Brendon McCullum, finally, has his first ODI victory abroad as England’s white-ball coach.
“I don’t think that’s a great wicket for ODI cricket, if I’m being brutally honest,” Root said at the post-match presentation. “But we found a way today, adapted and learned from the mistakes we made in the first game with bat and ball.” Brook was less diplomatic. “The pitch is probably the worst pitch I’ve ever played on,” he said.
Jacks returned in place of Zak Crawley – out with a knee injury – leading to an eye-catching promotion. Rehan Ahmed, at No 8 on Thursday, was carded at the top of the order for the first time in his international career. It was a funky call but not entirely unfamiliar to the 21-year-old, who has opened in the County Championship and batted at three in the Big Bash this month.
The change meant Brook had an extra bowler in his side, and he wanted to play with all his toys after losing the toss. The arrival of Root’s off-breaks in the 30th over made him England’s eighth bowler of the innings, the sixth spinner, as England tied the hosts down on a surface that was ragging for the part-timers as well.
Rashid made great use of it. He did not concede a single boundary across his 10 overs, masterfully floating the ball above the eyeline, inviting Pathum Nissanka and Charith Asalanka to provide catches in the deep. The 37-year-old also pulled off England’s finest moment in the field, a tumbling grab at deep fine leg to remove Janith Liyanage and hand Jamie Overton his second wicket.
Overton and Sam Curran were tight with the new ball but Brook stuck to spin at the death, leading to the unlikely sight of Root bowling the final over. It lasted just three deliveries, Root inviting fatal slogs from Dunith Wellalage and Fernando to close an innings which never found any real thrust.
Asalanka top-scored with a 64-ball 45, but the real blow was the dismissal of Kusal Mendis, who had battled for an unbeaten 93 earlier in the week. The No 3 cut hard while on 26 and set off before turning back as Jacks’ throw from point beat him to the striker’s end.
Out came Ahmed alongside Ben Duckett, but the partnership was brief. Ahmed’s only boundary was courtesy of overthrows before he was met by Dhananjaya de Silva’s deception, the off-spinner getting the ball to swing in to the right-hander and knock back the stumps.
The other opener began slowly, going scoreless off his first 10 deliveries, the drought packing in a successful review after he was given out lbw. But Duckett eventually settled as Root took command. England’s all-time leading run-scorer brought an assuredness to the crease that hadn’t been seen all game, whipping off his pads and scoring at a decent click.
Duckett advanced to 39 before Jeffrey Vandersay ripped a leg-break hard to bowl him, but Root and Brook dug in for an 81-run stand. Brook was some way off his usual rate, his 42 taking 75 balls before he fell to Vandersay with a missed sweep. “You just couldn’t really time the ball,” said Brook. “It was just a matter of trying to get off strike and take it as deep as possible.”
With 31 required off 44 balls and two new men in the middle, Sri Lanka still had a shout. Buttler narrowly escaped twice with a couple of aerial strokes against the dangerous Fernando, but his power game shone through. A decider awaits on Tuesday.
