Innings break England 355 for 7 (Banton 126, Brook 77, Cox 76) vs Sri Lanka
Tom Banton thumped a maiden ODI hundred, Harry Brook rode an early reprieve to a searing 77, and Jordan Cox took the last 15 overs by the collar with his 76 off 52, to collectively raise England to 355 for 7. The centrepiece of the innings was a 150-run third-wicket stand between Banton and Brook that came off 117 deliveries, with both batters launching repeated, successful assaults through the middle of the innings. Cox, arriving at 218 for 3 after 34.4 overs, merely continued the plunder.
Each of Sri Lanka's five main bowlers suffered poor economy rates, four of the them going for more than seven runs an over with Dunith Wellalage not much better, going at 6.88. Legspinner Sachindu Colombage and seamer Asitha Fernando were their most penetrative bowlers, Asitha bowling Cox and Liam Dawson off the last two deliveries of the innings to finish with figures of 3 for 64 off nine overs. Colombage took 2 for 71 off 10.
Although the Oval surface appeared good for batting, and Sri Lanka have had a good record at this venue in the past, their target is daunting nevertheless - more than they have ever successfully chased in ODIs.
Banton's innings did not take long to get humming. He began his boundary-hitting with a pair of authoritative drives through the covers, and by the end of the powerplay he had struck five more fours. Although already moving at an excellent pace it was in Brook's company that his strike rate really began to flourish, especially against spin, though there was also a Dilshan Madushanka over in which he plundered two sixes and a four.
This was his highest score in this format by a distance, beating the 73 he had made only in the last match, in Leeds. He holed out to Colombage - whom he had tormented - in the 38th over. But by that stage, England had set an outstanding launch platform.
Brook was initially slow, making a mere 11 off his first 25 balls, and was in fact dropped on 7 by wicketkeeper Kusal Mendis, after Wellalage had taken his edge. But before long Brook set about adding another chapter to his story of dominance over Sri Lanka. It was in the 26th over, bowled by Janith Liyanage, in which his innings kicked into a higher gear, Sri Lanka's sixth bowler crashed for successive fours either side of the wicket before Brook launched the third delivery in that sequence into the seats beyond long-off.
In fact it was after the 25th over generally that England's assault really began. They had been 108 for 2 at the halfway stage, but in the next 10 overs reaped 111 runs.
Like Banton and Brook, Cox bided his time at first, and then took off at the death, with the safety of having other recognised batters still around. He was especially good at clobbering pace to the leg side, with both his sixes and half of his six fours coming in that direction. This was his first ODI half-century - first in all List A cricket - and he showcased sparkling enterprise in the final overs, even managing to hit a reverse-scoop for four, off Eshan Malinga.
Sri Lanka were modest in the field. In addition to dropping Brook, Liyanage also dropped Jamie Overton on 3, with Overton going on to hit 21 not out off 14 at the death. There were also ground-fielding errors towards the end.
