England clinched a 2-1 series victory over Sri Lanka with a 223-run win at the Kia Oval, headlined by Tom Banton’s maiden international century and a rare dismissal involving an uprooted stump. The margin of victory is England’s largest in ODI cricket against Sri Lanka by runs.
Harry Brook’s side posted 355/7 before bowling out the visitors for 132 in 22.1 overs. The match marked a transition for the squad under Brook’s captaincy, with several players stepping in for the injured Jos Buttler.
Tom Banton led the batting effort, scoring 126 runs off 105 balls to register his first international century in 53 limited-overs appearances. Jordan Cox, replacing Buttler in the side, struck 76 from 52 deliveries to help set the high target. While Janith Liyanage dismissed Joe Root LBW for 18, the England middle order maintained a high scoring rate throughout the innings.
Sri Lanka’s chase faltered early when debutant Sonny Baker claimed his maiden ODI wicket by dismissing Pathum Nissanka in the second over. The tourists struggled to build partnerships against England’s pace attack, falling well short of the 356-run target.
A significant point of discussion occurred during the dismissal of Pavan Rathnayake for 18. As Jofra Archer threw toward the keeper’s end, Jordan Cox dislodged the bails with his gloves before the ball arrived. The third umpire initially viewed the bails being off and signaled ‘Not Out’ on the big screen.
However, the decision was overturned because Archer’s direct hit uprooted a stump from the ground. Under MCC Law 29.3, if the bails are already off, the wicket is fairly broken if a stump is struck or pulled out of the ground. The technicality confirmed Rathnayake was out, leaving Sri Lanka further depleted.
Will Jacks was named Player of the Series for his contributions with bat and ball across the three matches. England captain Harry Brook described the result as “A near-perfect performance. Bants, obviously, an outstanding knock.”
