Colombo: Joe Root produced a batting masterclass on a turnaround to guide England to a 5-wicket victory in the second ODI against Sri Lanka in the second ODI of the three-match series at the R Premadasa Stadium on Saturday.
England leveled the series against the hosts at 1-1 with the win, with the third and final match scheduled for Tuesday at the same venue.
With his back to the wall and the curtains down for the series, Root played the anchor, scoring 75 runs.
“It’s nice to win on a very hard surface. It’s important to play as late as possible when you come here. To be brutally honest, it’s not a great wicket for ODI cricket. But we adapted well and learned from the mistakes in the first game,” Root said.
Chasing a modest 220, England found anything but a cakewalk on a surface that offered minimums and generous helpings of spin.
Unraveling the sweep and reverse sweep, Root teased the spinners, milked the singles with soft hands and struck brilliantly. With captain Harry Brooke putting on 81 for the fourth wicket, Root reached his half-century in 52 balls.
The rest of the batting was wobbly without a complete collapse, but England’s well-documented problems against spin were neatly documented as the former captain held one end together.
Root had already scored a half-century in the opener and once again looked untroubled by the slower bowlers, allowing Sri Lanka to regain momentum. The breakthrough eventually came through Ashitha Fernando, who trapped Root leg with a sharp yorker.
By then, England needed 42 off 59 balls, with Jos Buttler making an unbeaten 33 off 21 balls and using a relaxed finish to see the former world champions home.
Earlier, the decision to develop the UK’s spinning resources paid rich dividends. Brook used no fewer than six fast bowlers as Sri Lanka were bowled out with three balls to spare.
England bowled 40.3 overs against Pakistan in Sharjah in 1985.
Sri Lanka showed early promise but failed to convert starts, repeatedly perishing in the deep while trying to clear the ropes. Not a single batsman scored a half-century.
Kusal Mendis, arguably Sri Lanka’s best spinner, looked fluent during his 26 runs but threw away his wicket in a suicidal attempt.
“We were 30 short. Kushal’s run out was crucial. But credit to England. We tried everything and the way Joe Root batted made the difference,” admitted Sri Lanka captain Sarith Asalanga.