ENG vs SL: ODI Series – Top five performers from England’s triumph
After a disappointing three-match T20I series that visitors Sri Lanka lost 0-3, their poor performance continued in the three-match ODI series as well, which they lost 0-2, with the last fixture abandoned due to rain.
Sri Lanka were wrapped up for 185 in Chester-Le-Street, and the hosts went on to win the game by 5 wickets with a whopping 91 balls to spare. In the second encounter at the Oval, Sri Lanka bettered their performance slightly, notching up 241/9 after batting first, but the score proved an easy ask for their opponents, who chased it down at the loss of two wickets, with seven overs remaining.
In the final ODI in Bristol, Sri Lanka tumbled for 166 in 41.1 overs, however, constant rain meant that England could never come out for the chase.
5) Dhananjaya de Silva (Sri Lanka)
Sri Lankan batters had a disappointing series, to say the least. One of the very few highlights of the series for them was Dhananjaya de Silva’s run-a-ball 91 in the second ODI. Stringing crucial partnerships with the lower-order after Sri Lanka was reduced to 21/4 at one stage, he took the team to a respectable total of 241/9, although to no avail.
4) Sam Curran (England)
🖐 @CurranSM 👏
Highlights: https://t.co/oLSpZatX6D
🏴 #ENGvSL 🇱🇰 pic.twitter.com/XbkqvNbrMo
— England Cricket (@englandcricket) July 2, 2021
Sam Curran bagged a sensational fifer (5/48) in the second ODI and was awarded the Player of the Match for his effort. Owing to the low-scoring affairs, England did not need his services with the bat, but his effort in the second encounter proved match-winning eventually.
3) Chris Woakes (England)
Woakes finished the series as the second-leading wicket-taker, despite not featuring in one of the matches of the series. He bagged 6 wickets from two games, averaging an incredible 7.66 at a brilliant economy rate of 2.30. He was named the Player of the Match in the first ODI, where his figures read 10-5-18-4.
2) Joe Root (England)
The England skipper finished as the leading run-scorer of the series, with 147 runs from two innings at a strike rate of 84.48. Root smacked an unbeaten 87-ball 68 in the first ODI and followed that with an unbeaten 79-run knock in the second game.
1) David Willey (England)
2⃣-3⃣6⃣
4⃣-6⃣4⃣
3⃣-4⃣4⃣Our man of the series! 👏@david_willey | 🏴 #ENGvSL 🇱🇰 pic.twitter.com/9DPplLCeKl
— England Cricket (@englandcricket) July 4, 2021
David Willey made match-winning contributions in each of the three outings and was awarded the Player of the Series award for bagging 9 wickets from three games at an average of 16 and an economy of 5.33. Wille’s returns in the series read 3/44, 4/64 and 2/36.
