Ton-up Brook, Root help England down Sri Lanka in ODI series decider

COLOMBO: Batting stalwart Joe Root and captain Harry Brook smashed brisk centuries and powered England to a resounding 53-run victory over Sri Lanka in the third and final ODI of the series here at the R Premadasa Stadium on Tuesday.

Opting to bat first, the touring side racked up a mammoth total of 357/3 in their 50 overs, courtesy of a monumental 166-run partnership between the two centurions.

England had a contrasting start to their innings as they had been reduced to 40/2 in 10.3 overs following the dismissal of both their openers, Rehan Ahmed and Ben Duckett, who made 24 and seven, respectively.

Following the early stutter, Jacob Bethell joined Root in the middle, and the duo batted sensibly to stabilise the innings, putting together 126 runs for the third wicket until the former fell victim to Jeffrey Vandersay on the first delivery of the 32nd over.

Bethell remained a notable contributor to England's total with an anchoring half-century, scoring 65 off 72 deliveries with the help of eight fours.

Walking out to bat with the scoreboard reading 166/3 in 31.1 overs, Brook steered England into a commanding position with belligerent hitting and eventually raced to a 57-ball hundred.

He finished as the touring side's top-scorer with a quickfire 136 off just 66 deliveries, studded with 11 fours and nine sixes, and was adjudged the Player of the Match.

Root, on the other hand, made 111 not out from 108 balls, hitting nine fours and a six.

For Sri Lanka, Dhananjaya de Silva, Wanindu Hasaranga and Vandersay could pick up a wicket apiece.

Set to chase a daunting 358-run target, the home side could accumulate 304 before getting bowled out in 46.4 overs despite Pavan Rathnayake's century and Pathum Nissanka's blistering fifty.

The home side got off to a flamboyant start to the pursuit as they had reached 94/2 in nine overs, but their core aggressor, Nissanka's dismissal on the first delivery of the subsequent over, derailed their expedition.

Nissanka fell to Jamie Overton after scoring a 25-ball 50, comprising five fours and three sixes.

Following his dismissal, Rathnayake took the reins of Sri Lanka's pursuit but remained deprived of support from the other end.

He was eventually removed by Sam Curran on the fourth delivery of the 47th, and his dismissal marked the end of Sri Lanka's innings. The right-handed batter walked back after top-scoring with a 115-ball 121, laced with 12 fours and a six.

For England, Will Jacks, Adil Rashid, Liam Dawson and Overton bagged two wickets each, while Curran chipped in with one decisive scalp.