England earn consolation tri-series win as Ben Duckett’s heroics help see off Sri Lanka

England ended a disappointing ODI tri-nation series in Pakistan with a 55-run win over Sri Lanka in their dead rubber contest as Ben Duckett continued his love affair with Lahore.

Duckett made it back-to-back hundreds and three in four innings at the Gaddafi Stadium with a sparkling 167 off 132 balls, with fellow opener Tom Banton contributing 74 in England’s mammoth total of 386 for five.

Having failed to defend 429 against the same opponents last Thursday, England might have felt a case of deja vu when Pavan Rathnayake made his second successive century against Harry Brook’s side.

But Rathnayake lacked support from his middle-order colleagues and when he sliced a sweep off Liam Dawson to depart for a majestic 118 off 77 balls – the eighth wicket to fall – the writing was on the wall.

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Opening pair flourish

Sri Lanka were all out for 331 and England, having had chances to win all three previous matches and squandered seemingly unlosable positions in their last two, finally got over the line for a first victory in seven ODIs in Pakistan.

While their bid to simulate tournament conditions for next year’s World Cup fell flat, England at least head to Australia for a white-ball series with a morale-boosting win, with Banton and Duckett helping them get off to a flyer on Thursday in a 163-run stand after they lost the toss.

Banton’s slash at his first delivery bounced in front of first slip, but England’s openers soon got on top from the moment Duckett clipped off his legs then pulled Dilshan Madushanka for back-to-back fours in the second over.

Banton was fluent off the back foot and charged slow left-armer Dunith Wellalage and part-timer Janith Liyanage for sixes down the ground, but Duckett especially relied on crisp timing and methodical placement to stockpile boundaries.

They each went to their fifties at better than a run-a-ball and although Banton dragged Dasun Shanaka’s off-cutter on to his stumps for 74, Duckett soon brought up his sixth ODI century off just 89 deliveries.

Bowlers under the pump

Brook promoted himself to number three and took 12 singles from his first 22 balls following his elevation and, although he belted two fours and two sixes off his next four deliveries, he botched an attempted scoop to give Asitha Fernando a return catch and departed for 44.

Duckett took 29 balls to go from 100 to 150 and went past his previous ODI high of 165 – at this ground against Australia in last year’s Champions Trophy – before failing to beat the short fine-leg fielder on the scoop.

Will Jacks, Jordan Cox and Sam Curran were all shuffled up the order, relegating Joe Root, and they all contributed decent cameos but England were soon under the pump with the ball despite Sonny Baker bowling Kamindu Mendis through the gate.

Baker dropped Avishka Fernando on five while Kusal Mendis had his bat broken but the Sri Lanka pair put on 84 without looking troubled. Fernando took 13 off Henry Crocombe’s first over but holed out for 48.

Kusal, run-out without facing a ball during Sri Lanka’s run-chase last week, showed off his array of flicks, pulls and drives to thump five sixes and eight fours, but he under-edged down the leg-side for 89 as Root burgled a wicket in his first over.

Shanaka was given lbw on review after missing a swipe off Liam Dawson and although Liyanage belted three sixes, he tamely chipped to Brook to give Baker his second wicket.

England finally get over the line

Rathnayake, though, was proficient on both sides of the wicket and, with the dew descending around the halfway point of Sri Lanka’s innings, continued to be a thorn in England’s side a week after his century against them.

England failed to review when Sahan Arachchige gloved down the leg-side off Baker – not even appealing – while Curran could not hold on when Rathnayake drilled a full toss back to him on 98.

Crocombe was reintroduced and Arachchige shovelled to Brook at long-off while Wellalage was run-out after a mix-up with Rathnayake, who could have been left stranded had Curran whipped off the bails sooner.

It mattered little as with Rathnayake running out of partners, he tried to go on the attack and perished to Dawson, who finished with an impressive four for 49, as Sri Lanka’s chase ran out of steam.

Curran sealed the win with his only wicket as he castled Eshan Malinga, with Sri Lanka 56 runs short of the victory target in the 46th over, though it is them who will face Pakistan on this ground in Saturday’s final.

READ MORE: Brendon McCullum vows England will learn from Pakistan defeat as tri-series hopes fade