Harry Brook had called on his England players to continue the “high-octane” cricket witnessed during their clean sweep in the Twenty20s but this latest victory over Sri Lanka in the first one-day international was more of a slow-burn affair. Gone was the neck-arching carnage of the previous week and in its place, on a tired end-of-season surface, England were bowled out for 265 in 48.1 overs. Brook top-scored with 67 under a warm September sun, before his bowlers rolled the tourists for 176 to take a 1-0 lead into Thursday’s second match at Headingley.
Familiarity with conditions doubtless played its part and Sri Lanka, on the wrong side of the toss, never truly felt in the hunt. For Brook it was an 11th victory as England’s ODI captain, nudging him into credit after 10 defeats and continuing what has been a quiet resurgence in the format this year.
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