Chris Woakes and Joe Root lead the way as England defeat Sri Lanka in first ODI | Cricket News

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The best of the action from the first ODI between England and Sri Lanka

Chris Woakes played a starring role with the ball before Joe Root reached an unbeaten 79 as England claimed a five-wicket win over Sri Lanka in the first one-day international match in Durham.

Woakes won 4-18 in his 10 overs, the cheapest numbers for an English ODI cricket pitcher since Stuart Broad (2-14) against New Zealand in 2008, as Sri Lanka was eliminated for 185 in 42.3 overs.

Captain Kusal Perera (73) and Wanindu Hasaranga (54) put in 99 for the fourth wicket, but it was the only partnership to note as the tourists, stripped of three of their most experienced drummers, collapsed to lose their last seven wickets for 40 races. .

Jonny Bairstow (43 on 21 balls) pushed England to a flyer in the pursuit before a mini collapse saw the hosts slide to 80-4 but Root, in his 150th ODI, went 91 with Moeen Ali (28 ) and passed 6,000 short in one day as he watched the home side cross the line with 15.1 overs to spare.

Joe Root struck with real poise to lead England to victory, finishing 79 no on 87 balls

After a 3-0 series sweep in the IT20s, England also got the start they wanted in the 50-over format as Eoin Morgan won the draw, chose to play and quickly went led Sri Lanka to three.

Pathum Nissanka (5) was the first to go, shooting a short, slower ball from Woakes to Ali in the middle of the wicket before David Willey had Charith Asalanka (0), one of three starters from Sri Lanka, caught at the first slip by Joe Root.

A beauty from Woakes portrayed Dasun Shanaka (1), who managed to catch up with Bairstow as the ball pulled away late.

Perera was scoring freely despite the wickets falling on the other end but, with Hasaranga providing much needed support, he became calmer in the crease.

The pair gradually managed to get the heats back on track with Hasaranga even after Adil Rashid, taking the legpinner for three limits in one round, and at 145-3 early in the 29th, a competitive total seemed well within their reach. .

However, Woakes had been brought back in the attack and broke the stand with another short ball, picked up by Hasaranga but not timed and Liam Livingstone came running from the middle of the wicket to take a nice low catch.

Woakes struck again in his next over, Dhananjaya Lakshan (2) pushing on the outside and the edge flew to the left of Root, who took an excellent catch on the slip.

Ramesh Mendis (1) followed, lbw to Ali (1-5) in the next over, and when Perera broke through to give Willey his second, England were in the tail.

Chamika Karunaratne finished undefeated on the 19th, crushing a big six as well as being involved in a less than impressive run between the wickets which saw both Dushmantha Chameera (7) and Praveen Jayawickrama (4) chasing through Sam Billings after Willey (3-44) had bounced off Binura Fernando (2).

The innings ended in 43 overs and when Bairstow hit the back-to-back limits to start the replica the chances that England would need something that long to take out the leads seemed slim.

Jonny Bairstow scored a quick 43 to start the hunt for England to a blast start

The opener hit six limits and huge six in his first 17 balls to pass in the 40s and when Livingstone threw a free kick on the rope in the middle of the deep wicket the fifty partnership was in 4.3 overs.

Livingstone later fell, however, marrying a backward delivery from Karunaratne midway through and Bairstow’s searing blow ended thanks to Fernando (1-50), cutting off at the end of the next.

When Chameera then ousted Eoin Morgan and Billings in successive overs, England had gone from 54-0 to 80-4 – and it could have been worse as Ali edged out his first ball, only for Perera to leave a legal chance to his left.

Root and Ali managed to stabilize things after that, however, calmly building up between them before Root was awarded a life in 36 when Chameera grabbed a tough chance to long-leg off Karunaratne.

The fifty partnership emerged soon after and Root moved on to his own half century, 58 balls, 26th as England moved within 50 years of victory.

Root became the fourth fastest drummer with 6,000 ODI runs

A steady stream of ones and two reduced that to 15 before Ali was knocked down by Chameera (3-50), leaving Sam Curran to help Root finish the job in the 35th.

England have a 1-0 lead in the three-game series and the teams are now heading to the Kia Oval for Thursday’s second game.

Watch the second one-day international match between England and Sri Lanka at the Kia Oval starting at 12:30 p.m. Thursday on Sky Sports Cricket.