Sri Lanka’s innings had earlier failed to really going as they eventually parked themselves at a middling total of 219, bowled out in 49.3 overs.
“Keeping the stumps in play,” was Brook’s refrain, speaking after losing the toss, and on an uber-dry surface with boundaries square and behind mostly protected, the onus was on the Lankan batters to use their feet in order to access extra cover and deep midwicket.
That sort of strokeplay however proved detrimental to the Lankan cause with four of their top five falling in their attempts to take on the boundaries in front of square. Kamil Mishara sought to bring some impetus to the innings after a miserly early burst from the England seamers, but his attempted lashing cover drive could not clear Duckett in the circle, who held on at the second attempt.
Pathum Nissanka, who had patiently waded through the opening powerplay when the scoring rate sat below four an over, then sought to capitalise on his added time in the middle, but only managed to loft an inside-out drive to long-off.
Later on in the innings, Dhananjaya whacked one low to Root at midwicket, before the set Asalanka found deep midwicket with a slog sweep.
And arguably Sri Lanka’s best batter at accessing those regions, Kusal Mendis, had earlier run himself out after grinding for 26, having cut one straight to point and absentmindedly set off for a single. The throw from the fit-again Jacks was pinpoint and found Mendis easily short as he sought in vain to fling himself back to safety.
While there were promising stands in-between, notably a 42-run effort between Nissanka and Mendis and 66 between Dhananjaya and Asalanka, none of the batters involved were able to push on and up the rate of scoring over any concerted period of time.
Pavan Rathnayake’s 29 off 34 also showed promise, but he fell foul looking to clear the straight boundary as he sliced one to long-off, and in the process an energetic Khettarama crowd was silenced.
Dunith Wellalage once more looked enterprising during a late cameo, but his 20 off 19 was far less damaging to England’s cause than had been the case in the first ODI. The frustrating nature of Sri Lanka’s innings was illustrated by the fact that five batters scored at least 25 and faced at least 30 deliveries, but the highest score remained Asalanka’s 45.