And so we reach the end of a long, hot summer. England won every series they played in except one, the three-Test tussle with New Zealand, which went so badly wrong that Ben Stokes resigned as the Test captain and Brendon McCullum was sacked as the Test coach.
Joe Root went from being a great ex-captain, reeling off hundreds, to an unexpected Test captain again, winning every game but unable to reach three figures. Stephen Fleming was appointed Test coach but didn’t actually start, flying over just to say hello and make the right noises.
Jofra Archer went from being kept in cotton wool to playing almost every game and once again bowling so fast that it was thrilling to watch. Ollie Robinson returned and took so many wickets so cheaply that, as Andy Bull memorably said, he could have been wearing a top hat. Throw in Josh Tongue’s ability to blow away the tail and Gus Atkinson’s steep bounce, and England just may have another fab four to rival the one from 2005.
Jordan Cox announced himself as a rising star, whatever the colour of the ball, whether batting or standing in as a keeper for Jamie Smith or Jos Buttler. Harry Brook continued to bat like a dream and also began to look like a proper captain, showing just the right amount of bravery. And, today, Tom Banton made his big breakthrough.
For all the embarrassment of their after-hours escapades, England also have another kind of embarrassment – of riches. They have a generation of young cricketers who are talented and likeable and seem comfortable on the big stage. It should be a lot of fun seeing how far they can go.
England are going all over the place this winter, starting with some ODIs in Pakistan in about three weeks’ time – also involving Sri Lanka. We will of course be back to bring you those. For now, thanks for your company and correspondence, all summer long. The OBO community is a wonderful thing.
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The England players gather round Brook as he lifts the trophy. They have won all of their white-ball series this summer – two against the mighty India, two against the less mighty but still gifted Sri Lanka.
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Harry Brook is talking to Mark Butcher. “A near-perfect performance,” he says. “Bants, obviously, an outstanding knock.” He also praises Jordan Cox for “a great cameo”. Some cameo: 76 off 52 balls.
It’s time for some awards. The Player of the Match isn’t hard to work out: it is, of course, Tom Banton, for his first England century, a magnificent 126. The Player of the Series is more of a puzzle. Harry Brook? No, it’s his new vice-captain, Will Jacks, who kept chipping in with bat or ball.
Harry Brook used seven bowlers and they all took a wicket – except Jofra Archer, who pulled off a sizzling run-out. It’s been a satisfying day for Brook, who surprised everyone by opting to bat first and then took another punt by handing the new ball to Sonny Baker, who took a wicket with his second delivery. In between, Brook got through a sticky start to make a majestic 77 on a pitch that was testing enough to make Joe Root struggle.
ENGLAND WIN THE MATCH AND THE SERIES!
Malinga c Root b Jacks 14 (Sri Lanka 132 all out) Joe Root, at leg slip, takes a sharp catch, swallowing a sweep to complete a resounding victory. England have won the match by 223 runs and the series by 2-1. Tom Banton, the star of the show, leads England off.
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29th over: Sri Lanka 132-9 (Malinga 14, Madushanka 2) Eshan Malinga decides that he may as well go down fighting. Facing Dawson, he plays a late steer for four and a smack through the covers for four more.
28th over: Sri Lanka 123-9 (Malinga 5, Madushanka 2) Back comes Will Jacks, who was the first spinner used in this innings and then found himself rather forgotten once the collapse unfolded. Sri Lanka were 77-3, so from that moment on they lost six wickets for 43.
27th over: Sri Lanka 120-9 (Malinga 4, Madushanka 0) In comes Dilshan Madushanka to find that there’s a slip and a leg slip. He survives, but it’s just a matter of time. Liam Dawson’s excellent spell now looks like this: 7-0-17-3.
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WICKET! Fernando c Overton b Dawson 6 (Sri Lanka 120-9)
Overton has the last word! Fernando tries a slog over mid-on, but hasn’t bargained for the tallest man on either side being there.
26th over: Sri Lanka 119-8 (Malinga 4, Fernando 6) After being hit by Overton, Asitha Fernando gets his own back by hitting him for four. The ball is a full toss, the shot an agricultural clump.
25th over: Sri Lanka 113-8 (Malinga 3, Fernando 1) Dawson is celebrating again as Malinga is given LBW, playing outside the line and getting struck, as they say, amidships. But Malinga reviews and he’s right to: HawkEye says the ball is going down the leg side.
Meanwhile, in Jo’burg, the Aussies are threatening to pull off a heist. Do join Daniel Gallan for that one.
24th over: Sri Lanka 112-8 (Malinga 2, Fernando 1) Out comes Asitha Fernando, who ducks into an 89mph bouncer, first ball, and is hit on the helmet. Thankfully it’s only a glancing blow, but a physio goes through the protocols, asking him a few questions. I hope one of them is: “Can you hear the drums, Fernando?”
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WICKET! Liyanage c Cox b Overton 19 (Sri Lanka 106-8)
Liyanage has been good, in the trickiest of circumstances, but now he too succumbs to the Sri Lankan virus, skyeritis. And again, it’s too easy for Cox.
23rd over: Sri Lanka 106-7 (Liyanage 19, Malinga 1) Dawson has quietly bowled a superb spell: 5-0-15-2.
WICKET! Columbage st Cox b Dawson 4 (Sri Lanka 104-7)
The procession resumes! After playing second fiddle and not managing a tune, Sachindu Columbage throws caution to the wind and dances down the track to Dawson. He omits to connect with the ball and Jordan Cox’s day to remember continues with a simple stumping.
22nd over: Sri Lanka 104-6 (Liyanage 18, Columbage 4) And here is JOverton, now that Root’s ability to rush through an over is no longer required. He’s a rather different proposition – twice the size and three times the speed. The batters are understandably wary, taking just a single apiece.
21st over: Sri Lanka 102-6 (Liyanage 17, Columbage 3) Another over from Liam Dawson, another three singles. Brook has already used six bowlers and still has Jamie Overton up his sleeve.
20th over: Sri Lanka 99-6 (Liyanage 15, Columbage 2) Signs of life! Janith Liyanage, facing Root, plays a lofted paddle for four and a drop-kick down the ground for six. Eleven off the over – but, more importantly, we’ve now had enough of a game for there to be a result. And England, surely, have got this one in the bag.
19th over: Sri Lanka 88-6 (Liyanage 4, Columbage 2) Dawson gets through an over pretty fast too. Just three singles off this one.
18th over: Sri Lanka 85-6 (Liyanage 2, Columbage 1) And now here comes Root again, in his capacity as England’s fastest slow bowler. He enjoys it so much, he trots back to his mark after each ball. Someone needs to tell him how difficult this makes things for the live-blogging community.
17th over: Sri Lanka 82-6 (Liyanage 0, Columbage 0) Success for Liam Dawson, who has 2-0-7-1.
WICKET! Wellalage c Baker b Dawson 5 (Ari Lanka 82-6)
And another! Wellalage swings for the hills but succeeds only in offering another simple catch off a top edge. Sonny Baker, at short fine leg, gathers it in safely.
16th over: Sri Lanka 78-5 (Wellalage 1, Liyanage 0) Root may have been summoned just to whizz through a few overs, as it’s gloomy now and England have to bowl 20 overs for there to be a result.
WICKET! Asalanka c Overton b Root 7 (Sri Lanka 77-5)
After being caught in a trap, Sri Lanka are now having a mare. Brook surprises them by bringing on Root, who persuades Asalanka to chip to mid-on – where Jamie Overton takes a fine running catch, over his shoulder.
15th over: Sri Lanka 77-4 (Asalanka 7) Brook, always busy with his bowling changes, had replaced Jacks with Liam Dawson, who started strongly and perhaps had a hand in the panic that brought that kamikaze run.
WICKET! Rathnayake run out Archer 18 (Sri Lanka 77-4)
Sensational from Archer, who swoops at short third and hits the stumps so hard that one stump jumps out of the ground. It’s out by miles – or is it? The replay shows that Cox dislodged the bail before the ball arrived. The big screen shows the big NOT OUT. But because the stump ended up out of the ground, it is out after all, and rightly so, as poor old Rathnayake was barely in the frame.
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14th over: Sri Lanka 74-3 (Rathnayake 16, Asalanka 6) Archer continues and keeps the pressure on, conceding only three singles. So the rate creeps up – it’s already nearly eight an over. The Sri Lankans are caught in a trap: they can’t afford to take too many risks, but neither can they afford to take too few.
13th over: Sri Lanka 71-3 (Rathnayake 14, Asalanka 5) Has Rathnayake been strangled down the leg side? Jacks think so, Jordan Cox thinks so, and most importantly the umpire Wayne Knights thinks so too. But Rathnayake looks confident as he calls for a review and the third umpire is on his side, seeing nothing on Snicko. Still, it’s been a good start for Jacks with his off-breaks: only five runs off his first two overs.
12th over: Sri Lanka 68-3 (Rathnayake 13, Asalanka 4) Just as the commentators are saying he hasn’t been at his best lately, Jofra produces a snorter which raps Asalanka on the glove as it homes in on his right armpit. Only two off the over.
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11th over: Sri Lanka 66-3 (Rathnayake 13, Asalanka 2) With the powerplay done, Brook turns to spin. It’s Will Jacks, who got a five-for in the first game of this series. He starts solidly, going for three singles as Charith Asalanka plays himself in.
The cameras find a baby in the crowd, strapped to his (or her) mum’s chest. The mum, seeing herself on the big screen, waves the baby’s hand. It’s a sell-out at the Oval today, which is good going in the embers of September.
10th over: Sri Lanka 63-3 (Rathnayake 12, Asalanka 0) Here is Jofra, replacing Baker, as recommended here – but he takes some tap! Rathanayake is lucky to pick up two off a thick edge, but there’s nothing streaky about the consecutive fours he then unfurls – a whip off the pads and an upper cut.
9th over: Sri Lanka 53-3 (Rathnayake 2) It was another good over from Gus Atkinson, who kept Kusal quiet for a bit, saw him pick up a four with a miscued pull, then lured him into an instant replay. Kusal succumbs to the usual fate for top-order batters who have just kept wicket, getting off to a quick start but not staying long enough to offer more than a cameo. And poor old Sri Lanka are staring down the barrel.
WICKET! Kusal Mendis c Banton b Atkinson 35 (Sri Lanka 48-3)
Another one, and it’s the big one! Kusal’s counter-attack comes to an end as he mistimes a pull, sends it high in the air and presents Tom Banton, already having the best day of his life, with a simple catch.
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8th over: Sri Lanka 48-2 (Kusal Mendis 31, Rathnayake 1) Brook disregards my advice for some reason, keeps Baker on and pays the price. Kusal plays a whip for six and a straight drive for four. This is more like the Baker we saw on his England debut, when he got battered by the South Africans. We all contain multitudes, fast bowlers perhaps more than most.
7th over: Sri Lanka 36-2 (Kusal Mendis 20, Rathnayake 0) After being clattered in his previous over, Atkinson bounced back with this one. He forced Kusal into a miscue that went for a jammy three and then beat Kamindu outside off with a fine out-seamer, which led to the desperate swish that was his downfall. So both the opening batters have gone and both the opening bowlers have a wicket – Atkinson one for 21, Baker one for 15.
WICKET! Kamindu Mendis c Duckett b Atkinson 12 (Sri Lanka 36-2)
Kamindu tries to swing Atkinson away for six and succeeds only in sending the ball up into the clouds. All Ben Duckett, at midwicket, has to do is stand there and wait for it to land in his cupped hands.
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6th over: Sri Lanka 33-1 (Kamindu Mendis 12, Kusal Mendis 17) Just when everything was going so well for Sonny Baker, the ball stops swinging. Eoin Morgan wonders what he will do about this. The answer is: bowl line-and-length, go for a few singles, and then stray onto the pads pf the left-handed Kamindu, who clips him for four. Maybe time to give Jofra a go.
5th over: Sri Lanka 24-1 (Kamindu Mendis 6, Kusal Mendis 15) Sri Lanka could do with a counter-attack and here it is! Kusal, facing Atkinson, plays a pull for six, and likes it so much he does it again.
4th over: Sri Lanka 11-1 (Kamindu Mendis 5, Kusal Mendis 3) Another good over from Baker, though there’s nothing to show for it as Kusal does well to dig out a yorker. Baker is always himself, with his bustling exuberance, but he’s also unrecognisable from the rookie who made his Test debut on this ground in June – armed with a wider repertoire and the confidence to use it.
3rd over: Sri Lanka 6-1 (Kamindu Mendis 4, Kusal Mendis 0) After four dots from Atkinson, Kamindu decides it’s time for the kitchen sink, lofts a fuller ball over the cover fielders and picks up four, even though he didn’t middle it.
2nd over: Sri Lanka 2-1 (Kamindu Mendis 0, Kusal Mendis 0) That was Baker’s second ball, and the first had been a peach too – also an outswinger, but fuller and beating the bat. A great start from him, a good punt from Brook, and a miserable day for Pathum Nissanka, who dropped Joe Root in the 10th over. Root didn’t add many, but the fumble was still significant as it denied Sri Lanka the chance to get at Brook early on.
WICKET! Nissanka c Cox b Baker 1 (Sri Lanka 1-1)
Harry Brook tosses the new ball to Sonny Baker, not Jofra Archer – and Baker produces some magic! This is a wicked outswinger, not just moving but lifting and taking the edge.
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1st over: Sri Lanka 1-0 (Nissanka 1, Kamindu Mendis 0) Gus Atkinson takes the new ball on his home ground and finds some movement, drawing a thick inside edge from the right-handed Nissanka and jagging the ball away to beat the bat of the left-handed Mendis.
CricViz is already giving England an 85pc chance of a win. That seems a bit premature: about 30 years ago, Sri Lanka pioneered the fast start in this format.
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Here come the England players, gleaming in their aquamarine tops. It’s dry at the moment, but there’s rather a lot of rain in the forecast.
Afternoon everyone and a big hand for Rob. He’s the master of this quirky medium and has shown it again in the past 24 hours, informing and entertaining thousands of sports lovers across two England internationals in two very different ballgames. I don’t know how he does it.
He has seen England’s cricketers play better today than their football counterparts did last night. Sri Lanka are not Spain, of course, but they bowled so well early on that they made Joe Root look like a beginner. England were still struggling for the first part of Harry Brook’s innings, but when he and Tom Banton changed gear, they went straight from second to fifth.
Banton had the best day of his career, making his first hundred for England, not fretting when his first few reverse sweeps misfired, eventually nailing that stroke along with several others, and breaking out into the broadest of smiles when he reached three figures. When he was out for 126, Jordan Cox, coming in as an understudy for Jos Buttler, played with such fearless verve that he made about as many runs as Brook at an even faster lick.
It was spectacular stuff and it leaves Sri Lanka with a mountain to climb if they’re going to win the series.
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That’s all from me. Thanks for your company and emails, both today and throughout the English summer. The great Tim de Lisle will take you through Sri Lanka’s runchase.
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Sri Lanka need 356 to win
50th over: England 355-7 (Overton 21) England have done brilliantly to post 355 on a pitch offering plenty to spinners and seamers alike. The star was Tom Banton, who smashes a pulsating maiden century in international cricket. It was an innings of two halves from England: 108-2 in the first 25 overs, 247-5 in the second. Sri Lanka have two chances, and Slim doesn’t do Sundays.
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WICKET! England 355-7 (Dawson b Fernando 0)
Liam Dawson is yorked by the final ball of the innings, and why not.
WICKET! England 355-6 (Cox b Fernando 76)
A low full toss from Fernando is lifted behind square for four by Cox, who has played a gem of an innings. It ends when he misses a premeditated scoop at the penulimate delivery and is bowled for 76 from 52 balls, but that’s an apt way to end his breakthrough summer. England have found one.
49th over: England 348-5 (Cox 71, Overton 19) Cox follows a wide delivery from Malinga – it would have been a wide – and reverse scoops it over the keeper’s head for four. The next ball is launched just short of Asalanka at deep midwicket, allowing him to steal two runs. He has 71 from 49 balls, including 40 from the last 18.
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48th over: England 337-5 (Cox 62, Overton 17) Overton clips Fernando towards wide mid-on, where a lazy misfield from Asalanka turns two runs into four. The wheels are off now. A series of twos, a front-foot no-ball and a superb scoop for six from Cox allow England to take 20 from the over.
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47th over: England 317-5 (Cox 56, Overton 4) Cox works Malinga for a single to reach an accomplished 42-ball fifty. Overton is dropped by Liyanage, a simple chance at long-on. Sri Lanka’s catching has cost them today.
Cox muscles four more into the leg side to complete a good over for England. They’re scored 209 in the last 22 overs.
46th over: England 307-5 (Cox 48, Overton 2) Cox drags a reverse sweep past the fielder at short third and away for four. He keeps strike with a single off the last ball, albeit after running into the abundant unit that is Jamie Overton. Cox is okay and needs two for his first ODI fifty.
45th over: England 298-5 (Cox 40, Overton 1) Back comes Eshan Malinga, whose reverse-swing was so important at Headingley. Cox lashes a low full toss for four, then canes another boundary through the covers. He continues to look the part at this level.
44th over: England 287-5 (Cox 30, Overton 0) That was the last ball of the over. Jamie Overton has come in at No7 ahead of Liam Dawson and Gus Atkinson.
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WICKET! England 287-5 (Jacks c Asalanka b Colombage 25)
Jacks flips his bat in frustration and after slicing a legbreak from Colombage high to mid-off. He made a useful 25 from 21 balls.
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43rd over: England 279-4 (Cox 24, Jacks 24) After getting his eye in for a few overs, Will Jacks has decided it’s time to have some fun. He heaves Wellalage through mid-on for four, drives six over mid-off and edges another boundary to make it 16 from three balls.
42nd over: England 264-4 (Cox 23, Jacks 10) Good stuff from Colombage, who restricts England to three singles and a two.
41st over: England 259-4 (Cox 21, Jacks 7) Sri Lanka miss a run-out chance when Cox is sent back by Jacks. The throw to the non-striker’s end was on the errant side of hopeless.
A big-spinning delivery from Wellalage goes for four byes. Another finds the edge as Jacks tries to whip to leg, with the ball flying over the fielder for two runs. It’s hard to reconcile England’s score with the amount the pitch is turning.
40th over: England 251-4 (Cox 20, Jacks 4) Colombage turns a peach past Jacks’ forward push, then has an LBW appeal turned down when Jacks is hit outside the line.
With ten overs to go, England’s score feels well above par on a pitch that is still doing plenty. That said, I thought they’d make short work of their run-chase on Thursday. Nobody knows anything.
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39th over: England 249-4 (Cox 19, Jacks 3) A boundaryless over from Wellalage; seven from it.
38th over: England 242-4 (Cox 15, Jacks 0) That was the last ball of the over. England have scored 134 from the last 13, having managed 108 from the first 25.
WICKET! England 242-4 (Banton c Malinga b Colombage 126)
Banton hits back-to-back boundaries off Colombage before holing out to long-on to end a memorable, potentially life-changing innings of 126 from 105 balls. It’s his highest List A score and his first century in international cricket. England will have a tough decision to make when Jacob Bethell is fit again.
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37th over: England 231-3 (Banton 118, Cox 12) Cox survives an LBW appeal after walking down the track to Fernando. Replays show it would have bounced over the top. Cox, 5 not out from 10 balls, doubles his strike rate by carting Fernando over midwicket for six.
“Highlight of the season,” says Ian Sargeant. “Getting back in the ones for the last couple of games aged 57 and taking 9-54 off 19 in two games.”
What the actual figures? Are you available to tour South Africa in December?
36th over: England 224-3 (Banton 118, Cox 5) The legspinner Colombage returns and causes Cox all sorts of problems during a brilliant over. Cox is beaten three times, twice on the outside and once on the inside. The last of those deliveries bounces away for three, wrongly given as byes rather than runs.
An eventful over also includes a top-edge into the grille from Banton. A concussion check confirms that he knows what time it is.
35th over: England 219-3 (Banton 117, Cox 1) Jordan Cox is the new batter. His only ODI experience to date is a difficult series in the West Indies in 2024, when he was roughed up by Alzarri Joseph.
“If this was the 1990s, we could call him Bato Banton,” says Niall Mullen. “I’ll get my coat.”
What do you mean if this was.
WICKET! England 218-3 (Brook c Wellalage b Fernando 77)
Asitha Fernando returns in an attempt to restore order. Better still, he breaks the partnership when Brook mistimes a lofted slap and is taken by Wellalage at mid-off. Brook made a coruscating 77 from 66 balls, including 60 from the last 34.
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34th over: England 213-2 (Banton 117, Brook 73) Oh this is just ridiculous batting. Banton pulls a slower ball from Madushanka for six, drives a stunning six over mid-off and makes it 16 from three balls with a lusty slap through the covers. Twenty-two from the over, 106 from the last nine. Sri Lanka have lost control.
“I enjoyed the contest between Brook and Banton and the intriguing leg-spin of Colombage who approaches the crease with great intensity,” says Colum Fordham. “He gets drift and a lot of turn, bamboozling the batsmen until he overpitches and Brook and Banton crunch him for six, Banton with a KP-style switch hit. Nevertheless, an interesting legspinner with potential.”
I’m surprised he made his debut at 28 because he looks a natural.
Tom Banton's first century for England!
33rd over: England 192-2 (Banton 101, Brook 68) Wellalage returns to the attack, but the bad news for Sri Lanka is that the horse has done one. Brook smashes his first ball for four, then Banton crashes an extra-cover drive to the fence to reach his first century in international cricket!
The England balcony are all on their feet, and quite right too. It’s been a terrific innings, full of blistering attacking strokes: 95 balls, 13 fours, three sixes, and a moment he’ll never forget.
Brook makes it 17 from the over by smoking another boundary through extra cover. This is seriously good batting from England. They took their medicine for the first half of the innings; since then they’ve scored 84 from eight overs.
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South Africa v Australia latest
David Miller 142 with nine sixes; Jack Edwards 5-67 in only his second ODI. Daniel Gallan has more.
Harry Brook had 16 from 30 balls when Wellalage was replaced. He’s now 57 not out from 56.
32nd over: England 175-2 (Banton 96, Brook 57) Brook charges the new bowler Madushanka and mullers a boundary behind square on the off side. Even my hero, The Judge, would have struggled to hit that any harder. Kusal Mendis must be regretting the decision to take Wellalage out of the attack at a time when Brook was dealing in dot balls. Time for drinks.
“I see the YCCC vessel ‘Harry Brook’ has just slipped out of cruising in Impulse Drive and into the Warp Factor range,” says Brian Withington. “
Watch out Sri Lankans (and any cricket playing Romulans) …”
I don’t understand a word of this but I’m here for it. I think.
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31st over: England 169-2 (Banton 95, Brook 52) Outrageous skill from Banton, who reverse sweeps Colombage over backward point for six. That takes him into the nineties for the first time in international cricket. There’s no sign of nerves as he belts another reverse sweep for four.
Colombage’s figures of 4-0-31-0 are a head-scratcher because he hasn’t done much wrong.
30th over: England 157-2 (Banton 85, Brook 51) Brook dabs Malinga for a single to reach a 49-ball fifty. He was dropped on 7, a tough chance to the keeper Kusal Mendis.
Banton moves closer to his first international century with a breezy hook for six. After a sticky period, England have scored 49 from the last five overs.
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29th over: England 147-2 (Banton 77, Brook 49) Brook, who has run riot since Wellalage was taking out of the attack, slog-sweeps Colombage for six. He’s scored 32 from his last 16 deliveries, having managed 17 from the first 32.
28th over: England 136-2 (Banton 75, Brook 40) “As it’s the last gasp of the season, who are your bets for Wisden Cricketers of the Year?” wonders Robert Razzell. “Josh Tongue must be a shoo-in, Ethan Bamber must have a good chance, Matt Henry perhaps - could Razaullah get it for just one Test match? Who else might be on Booth’s bingo card?”
That’s a great question. My instant guesses are Tongue, Bamber, Henry, Danni Wyatt-Hodge and either Kranti Gaud, Razaullah or Craig Overton. Who am I missing?
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27th over: England 130-2 (Banton 74, Brook 35) Another delicious legbreak from Colombage rips past Banton’s outside edge. England might wish they’d picked their own leggie, Rehan Ahmed, because Colombage is turning it prodigiously. But when he errs in line at the end of an otherwise good over, Banton sweeps efficiently for four.
26th over: England 125-2 (Banton 70, Brook 34) At the start of this over, Brook was 17 not out from 32 balls. He’s now 34 from 38 after doubling his score in the space of six deliveries. Not content with pulling and driving Liyanage for successive boundaries, Brook lifts a spectacular six over mid-off. As KP said the other day, it’s a joke how good he is.
25th over: England 108-2 (Banton 70, Brook 17) Like Tom Reagan and Verna, this pitch is doing plenty. The tricky part for England is to work out whether they should be aiming for 240 or 280
Banton is not out To the surprise of almost everyone watching, replays show a very slight outside edge from Banton onto the pad.
Sri Lanka review for LBW against Banton! Time for the legspin of Sachindu Colombage, who had a fine debut at Chester-le-Street but took some hammer in Leeds. Sri Lanka plead unsuccessfully for LBW when Banton is hit on the pad by a gorgeous legbreak, then go for a review. This is really close.
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24th over: England 104-2 (Banton 67, Brook 16) Brook uses the extra pace (ish) of Liyanage to leather a drive behind square for four. Sri Lanka consider an LBW review when Brook makes a mess of an attempted lap; I think he inside edged it onto the pad.
“Wotcha, Bob,” writes Mr Mac Millings. “I’m trying to decide between two highlights of the year, neither cricket based. One was earlier this week, when a student start crying her eyes out at the end of Nineteen Eighty-Four. The other will be tomorrow, when I read my list of 20 armadillo jokes to a student who thought she could out-stupid-joke me.”
23rd over: England 97-2 (Banton 66, Brook 11) Wellalage continues to tie Brook down, with one run from four balls in that over. But Banton jumps into a superb reverse sweep for four off the last ball. “Kevin would have been proud,” says Mark Butcher on commentary.
What a commentator and pundit Butch is, by the way.
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22nd over: England 92-2 (Banton 62, Brook 10) Sri Lanka have bowled very accurately, so much so that a wide from Liyanange in that over is the first of the innings. England look like they don’t know what they’re doing, or rather what they’re trying to achieve: it’s really hard to know what a par score might be.
Brook dropped on 7
21st over: England 87-2 (Banton 61, Brook 7) Now it’s Brook who is struggling to rotate strike. He faces the entirety of a maiden from Wellalage – and he’s dropped off the final delivery when a big edge is spilled by the keeper Kusal Mendis. Tough chance, and a potentially big moment.
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20th over: England 87-2 (Banton 61, Brook 7) Another good over of wicket-to-wicket hustle from Liyanage, who has figures of 3-0-8-1. The change in ODI regulations, with only one ball being used after the 34th over, has altered the balance between bat and ball. Sri Lanka are noticeably throwing the ball in on the bounce, to enable reverse swing later in the innings. All of which is to say that, on this pitch, a par score feels closer to 250 than 300.
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19th over: England 86-2 (Banton 61, Brook 6) Banton skids back to batter Wellalage through extra cover for four. That’s an outstanding shot because there was nothing wrong with the ball. He looks a completely different batter under Brendon McCullum, a coach with the innate ability to empower players.
“Can we talk about the umpire’s shield?” says Mark Hooper. “Is that a thing now?”
I’m mildly embarrassed to say I hadn’t noticed.
18th over: England 77-2 (Banton 54, Brook 4) Liyanage concedes only three from his second over. The wicket of Root was only his fourth in 39 ODIs, so now wonder he celebrated with such gusto. I’d have to check but I think the other three wickets were Ryan Burl, Michael Bracewell and Brendan Taylor.
“Highlight of the season, you ask?” begins Brian Withington, clearing his throat with rare extravagance. “Well aside from getting not one but two Beatles themed tributes to Mark Wood past your door recently, I’d have to say it was yesterday, when I idly switched over from The Gardens to the Edgbaston livestream to catch the last rites of Warwickshire predictably beating Leicestershire. This completed a very impressive Championship winning run-in, leaving Somerset yet again in their seemingly perennial runners-up role.
“What ‘bowled me over’ was the surge of obvious and genuine delight shown by the whole winning team (and squad) at their achievement - genuinely uplifting and a testament to how much the County Championship still means to players (including international stars like Chris Woakes) - and not just sad old gits like me.
“I’m looking forward to the scenes at Taunton if/when Somerset eventually get over the line …”
17th over: England 74-2 (Banton 53, Brook 2) The left-arm spinner Wellalage has a strangled shout for LBW when Brook plays around a delivery that would have missed leg. This is an interesting Oval pitch. Batting looks awkward against spin and seam alike.
16th over: England 72-2 (Banton 52, Brook 1) Banton drives Liyanange for two to bring up a good half-century from 51 balls. On Thursday morning he had one fifty in ODIs; now he has three.
WICKET! England 68-2 (Root LBW b Liyanage 18)
Joe Root falls to the first ball after drinks. He played around a straight delivery from Janith Liyanage that hit the pad in front of middle and leg. It was given not out on the field but Sri Lanka reviewed successfully. Root is on his way after a constipated 37-ball 18, and Liyanage – an occasional medium-pacer in this format – has claimed a big scalp.
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15th over: England 68-1 (Banton 49, Root 18) Dunith Wellalage is the first spinner into the attack. That could suit Root, who immediately rotates strike with a drive to deep extra cover. That’s the first of three singles from the over. Time for drinks.
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14th over: England 65-1 (Banton 48, Root 16) A short ball from Madushanka is uppercut for six by Banton. That’s the only scoring shot of an all-or-nothing over.
13th over: England 59-1 (Banton 42, Root 16) England scored only four runs in the last three overs. Banton releases the burgeoning pressure by flicking Malinga crisply through midwicket for four. That’s his eighth boundary in a score of 42 not out from 39 balls; Root has 16 from 34 and is starting to look frustrated.
12th over: England 52-1 (Banton 35, Root 16) Root is surprised by a bit of extra bounce from Madushanka, who has replaced Fernando, and defends the ball into the leg side. He’s really struggling to rotate strike, which is not something you see very often; in fact he’s scored only one run from his last 12 deliveries. I can’t be the only person thinking of Colin de Grandhomme.
11th over: England 51-1 (Banton 34, Root 16) A nipbacker from Malinga, nephew thereof, is inside-edged onto the thigh by Root. The commentators keep mentioning how dry this pitch is, so England’s decision to bat first looks increasingly wise. They have the spin of Liam Dawson and Will Jacks, plus the cutters of Jamie Overton and friends.
Root dropped on 15
10th over: England 50-1 (Banton 33, Root 16) Root tries to glide Fernando behind square and is dropped by Nissanka, deliberately placed in a wide slip position. By modern standards, that was a pretty straightforward chance. He couldn’t sort his hands out and the ball burst through them.
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9th over: England 48-1 (Banton 32, Root 15) Banton waves an errant delivery from Malinga to the extra-cover boundary. That’s a lovely shot; he’s been ruthless with anything full.
8th over: England 43-1 (Banton 28, Root 14) Fernando has changed ends to replace Madushanka. Banton hoicks a pull behind square for a one-bounce four, his sixth boundary of the morning. Fernando responds by beating the bat with successive deliveries, one on the outside and one on the inside.
It’s the last day of the County Championship season. Join Tanya Aldred for news of Tom Abell’s 307 and more.
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7th over: England 38-1 (Banton 24, Root 13) Eshan Malinga’s first delivery is a sharp lifter that Banton edges over slip for four. His third kicks off a length to beat Banton – and startle the keeper Kusal Mendis as he takes it in front of his face. All told, that’s an excellent first over.
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6th over: England 34-1 (Banton 20, Root 13) Madushanka is fractionally short to Banton, who punches an excellent boundary through extra cover. He looks in excellent touch, a player who finally feels like he belongs at this level.
5th over: England 28-1 (Banton 15, Root 12) Banton slugs a short ball from Fernando through square leg for four. He didn’t middle it, and there was a shriek of “catch!”, but it beat the diving fielder and bounced away for four.
England are progressing well, even if the sailing hasn’t been entirely smooth.
4th over: England 20-1 (Banton 11, Root 9) Madushanka beats Banton with a good delivery, but then he gets greedy and overpitches. Banton belts it through the covers for four.
Root, busy as ever, tucks a single off the last ball to move to nine from eight balls. On Sky, Athers makes the point that Root hasn’t scored an international century this summer; the only time that has previously happened was in the Covid summer of 2020.
3rd over: England 13-1 (Banton 6, Root 6) Root times Fernando sweetly through extra cover for four. By his recent standards, Root has had a complete shocker of a series; he’s averaging 32.
There’s some swing for Fernando and Madushanka, so England may have to sit in for a little while.
2nd over: England 7-1 (Banton 5, Root 1) Replays show that the ball to Duckett only deviated slightly, a lot less than I thought when I saw it live. On England batting first, it was a complicated decision – apparently the pitch is very dry (bat first), but it’s September (bowl first) and there’s a chance of rain later (bowl first).
“So we come to the final OBO of the 2026 summer (South Africa on the way),” writes John Starbuck. “Which do you think was the best to write, and did it depend on England’s own fortunes?”
Yikes, good question. Not sure about the best to write, but my favourite memory is Ollie Robinson’s triple-wicket maiden on his return at Lord’s, during which there was a lot of rain on my face. Dead inside as I am, I was pleasantly surprised to experience such overwhelming happiness for somebody I’ve never met.
How about you lot?
WICKET! England 6-1 (Duckett b Madushanka 0)
It’s 10.38am in September, folks. Duckett tries to drive a beauty from Madushanka that nips back to hit the top of off stump. Lovely bowling, and Sri Lanka are in an amongst England early doors.
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1st over: England 6-0 (Banton 5, Duckett 0) Asitha Fernando has an early LBW appeal against Ben Duckett turned down. It pitched fractionally outside leg stump and would probably have swung past leg. That aside, it was plumb.
Tom Banton gets the first boundary with a cracking cover drive. “Classic cover drive to an outswing bowler,” purrs Nasser Hussain on commentary. “Perfection.”
A good spot from our cricket correspondent Ali Martin. Jos Buttler’s absence means Joe Root is the only player with 50+ caps in the England team. He has 195 caps; the other ten players have 214 between them. Harry Brook (44*) is second on the list.
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Team news
The injured Jos Buttler is replaced by Jordan Cox, who plays his first ODI since a tough tour of the Caribbean two years ago. Liam Dawson and Sonny Baker also come into the XI; Rehan Ahmed and Josh Tongue drop out.
Sri Lanka, unsurprisingly, are unchanged from their stirring win at Headingley.
England Banton, Duckett, Root, Brook (c), Cox (wk), Jacks, Dawson, Atkinson, Overton, Archer, Baker.
Sri Lanka Nissanka, Kamindu Mendis, Kusal Mendis (c/wk), Rathnayake, Asalanka, Liyanage, Wellalage, Colombage, Malinga, Fernando, Madushanka.
England win the toss and bat
That’s an interesting call given it’s a 10.30am start in late September. Harry Brook clearly doesn’t care for the Natwest Trophy finals of the 1990s.
Ethan Bamber may be an adopted Brummie but it’s fair to say he has the city’s self-effacing nature down to a tee. After sealing Warwickshire’s ninth County Championship with one final explosion of bails, and watching captain Ed Barnard lift the trophy to cheers of “You Bears” from the stands, Bamber tried to credit anyone but himself and even claimed to be an “average cricketer”.
Average? Not so fast. No bowler in Division One has sent down more than Bamber’s 445.3 overs this year, nor can top the 69 wickets that he finished on after rattling Tom Scriven’s timbers to wrap up a comprehensive innings and 79-run victory over Leicestershire. The 27-year-old ploughed through all 14 games of the campaign, with his waspish brand of wobble-seam and swing consistently undermining batting line-ups in this slow-burn triumph.
Kevin Pietersen’s return to the England dressing-room has evoked all those JFK innings he played in international cricket. I never took euphoric drugs, but I liveblogged several KP specials and that’s basically the same thing. In this silly job, nothing has come close to the exhilaration of the KP surge.
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Kevin Pietersen insisted he is a “completely different” person these days as he sat down at Headingley – the ground where he declared “it’s tough being me in this dressing room” 14 years earlier – and spoke at length about his role as the new “specialist mentor” to England’s white-ball teams.
In the aftermath of a 16-run loss to Sri Lanka that sends this late summer one-day series into an Oval decider on Sunday, Pietersen also revealed that while not full-time – “I’ll be in and out” – his input may not be restricted to the challenge of winning the 50-over World Cup in South Africa next year. A home Ashes comes before that, the series that launched his career back in 2005, and discussions with Stephen Fleming, the incoming Test coach, and Joe Root have already taken place.
For now though it is Harry Brook’s team that has his attention beyond work as a content creator and home life, with this role the brainchild of Brendon McCullum, now the specialist white-ball coach. Pietersen was racking his brains as to whether he had publicly criticised England when McCullum’s name flashed up on his phone.
“I thought I was in trouble,” said Pietersen. “‘What have I done now? Have I said something?’ But [after]: ‘How are you doing? ‘All good?’ ‘Yes, I’m fine. What do you want?’ [McCullum replied:] ‘I want you to join us in the dressing room. We want to work over the next 12 months to be competitive in South Africa next year.’
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Ben Stokes is on course for another clash with the England and Wales Cricket Board because the governing body is unlikely to grant him permission to play in overseas franchise competitions next summer.
The former England captain is understood to have had discussions with franchises in the United States’ Major League Cricket (MLC) and Pakistan Super League (PSL) about joining them next season, but the Guardian has learned that the ECB is reluctant to provide the No-Objection Certificate required to play in either competition while he remains registered with Durham.
We’re liveblogging another ODI today: Daniel Gallan is on duty for the second match between South Africa and Australia.
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Preamble
Every cloud, eh? England’s defeat to Sri Lanka at Headingley on Thursday was a shock, and a bit of a shocker, but it comes with a reward of sorts: a series decider. Eoin Morgan craved them when he was England captain, because they were the closest bilateral cricket came to replicating the pressure of a World Cup knockout game.
Harry Brook’s team are about to play their third series decider of the year. They dealt pretty well with the first two, beating Sri Lanka and India after scoring 357-3 and then 387-3. If they score 417-3 today, something weird is going on.
