Will Jacks powers England to opening ODI win over Sri Lanka

Will Jacks starred as England continued their white-ball stranglehold over Sri Lanka this year by battling to an 89-run win in the series-opening ODI at Chester-le-Street.

Last week’s 3-0 T20 series clean sweep placed low expectations on these three ODIs but Sri Lanka are one spot above England in the 50-over world rankings and restricted their opponents to 265.

Five of England’s top six got past 30 but only Harry Brook, with 67 off 69 balls, went to a half-century, one of the only batters to find fluency on a slow, low pitch at the Banks Homes Riverside.

A batting line-up famed for its powerhouse abilities was unable to hit a single six, albeit at one of the biggest grounds in the country, but Sri Lanka never came close to ending their barren run against their hosts as they were all out for 176.

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Competitive total

Jacks followed up his 46 not out, which ensured England reached what seemed a competitive total at halfway, with an ODI-best five for 22 – outshining fellow spinner Rehan Ahmed, who took one for 46 after being drafted in for his injured mentor Adil Rashid.

England have now won their last 10 limited-overs meetings against Sri Lanka in 2026, while this was a fifth triumph in their last seven ODIs, an uptick after losing 11 of 15 50-over matches last year.

With next year’s World Cup in southern Africa just over a year away, Brook may be encouraged that his side showed they could grind their way to victory rather than simply outmuscling their rivals.

Brook’s day began by winning the toss but Tom Banton’s audition as the latest opening partner to Ben Duckett fell flat, the recalled right-hander making 10 before being beaten all ends up by Asitha Fernando’s wonderful bail-trimmer.

Fine debut

Duckett showed flashes of his industrious best in his 32 only to miss a sweep and get pinned in front by slow left-armer Dunith Wellalage, taking a review with him, before Joe Root and Brook got to work.

Root was typically unobtrusive as he passed 23,000 international runs but with a fifty in sight, he went back to Sri Lanka’s debutant leg-spinner Sachindu Colombage but saw his off-stump knocked back for 44, ending his union with Brook at 68 off 70 balls and Root’s own run of 404 runs between ODI dismissals.

Brook defied the low bounce to unfurl some crisp drives and meaty pulls but with England sitting pretty on 182 for three after 31 overs, he charged Dushmantha Chameera and holed out to deep cover.

That was the beginning of England losing four for 29 in 46 deliveries, with Colombage continuing a fine debut by snaring Jos Buttler lbw for 31 and bowling Jamie Overton through the gate to finish with three for 44.

Subdued

Jacks then held the innings together, cutting loose with four successive fours off Chameera to drive England past 250, but Fernando yorked Jofra Archer and Josh Tongue to wrap up the innings.

Pathum Nissanka and Kamindu Mendis each stroked Archer to the boundary in the first over of the reply but Sri Lanka were subdued thereafter, only adding another 28 runs in the remaining nine overs of the powerplay.

Kamindu Mendis loosely swung Gus Atkinson to Duckett for 14 and while Ahmed spilled a low return chance to reprieve Nissanka on 25, the Sri Lanka opener added just another two runs before half-heartedly driving at Tongue and edging to Buttler.

Jacks, the sixth bowler used, then came to the fore again, removing experienced campaigners Charith Asalanka and Kusal Mendis as both were dismissed lbw after missing sweeps.

Writing on the wall

Sri Lanka captain Kusal Mendis had looked in good touch for his 42 after injury sidelined him for the T20 series but once he was dismissed, the sixth wicket to fall, the writing appeared to be on the wall for the tourists.

Ahmed got in the wickets column by snaring Colombage lbw before coming in for some punishment from Wellalage, who launched the leg-spinner and Archer for the only two sixes of the day in an entertaining cameo.

Wellalage went for one big swing too many and perished for 45 after skying a catch to Overton to give Jacks his third wicket.

He collected his fourth and fifth later in the over, with Fernando holing out and Dilshan Madushanka bowled first ball, to finish with the second-best figures by an England spinner in an ODI.

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