England beat Sri Lanka by eight wickets in the second one-day international at The Oval on Thursday to take an unassailable 2-0 lead in a three-match series.
Sam Curran took five wickets before England captain Eoin Morgan and Joe Root both hit unbeaten fifties as the 50-over world champions cruised to a series-clinching win over Sri Lanka in the second one-day international at The Oval on Thursday.
England finished on 244-2 with exactly seven overs to spare for an eight-wicket success that put then 2-0 up in a three-match campaign ahead of Sunday's finale in Bristol.
Morgan was 75 not out – only his second fifty in 17 international innings.
Test skipper Root, meanwhile, was unbeaten on 68 following his 79 not out in Tuesday's five-wicket win in the first ODI at Chester-le-Street.
The pair shared an unbroken stand of 140 after opener Jason Roy made 60.
Curran set up the victory by taking an ODI best 5-48 on his Surrey home ground, with fellow Northampton-born left-armer David Willey (4-64) the only other successful bowler in Sri Lanka's innings of 241-9.
"It was really special to get my first five-for and to be playing in front of fans as well," the 23-year-old Curran, appearing in just his 10th ODI, told Sky Sports.
"I feel like I have played a lot of cricket but I'm learning from every game I play and learning from other players."
Morgan added: "It was a good day all-round. As a captain I don't think massively about my
It looked like a Covid-reduced crowd of some 14 000 for this day/night match would be leaving before the floodlights were switched on in south London when Sri Lanka slumped to 21-4 inside seven overs after losing the toss.
BRISK START
But Dhananjaya de Silva's run-a-ball 91 kept the tourists in the match and he received good support from Dasun Shanaka (47) in a sixth-wicket stand of 78.
"When we fell to 21-4, that is very hard to get back in the game but it was good to see Dhananjaya de Silva and Dasun Shanaka get us back on track," said Sri Lanka captain Kusal Perera.
Jonny Bairstow and Roy ensured reigning 50-over world champions England made a brisk start to their chase.
Bairstow drove Asitha Fernando for six before a stand of 76 ended when he chopped-on to legspinner Wanindu Hasaranga for 29.
Roy, who had whipped Fernando for a dismissive four off his legs, pressed on to a 47-ball fifty including eight fours.
But the Surrey batsman fell for 60 when well caught by a diving De Silva at midwicket off Chamika Karunaratne.
England, however, were well in command, with Morgan making a run-a-ball fifty.
Batting had been a problem for a Sri Lanka side missing vice-captain Kusal Mendis, opener Danushka Gunathilaka and wicketkeeper Niroshan Dickwella, who were all sent home for breaching Covid regulations.
Sri Lanka were dismissed for just 185 on Tuesday and that lowly total looked well beyond them as they lost four wickets inside the opening seven overs.
EARLY STRIKES
Curran, recalled in place of the rested Chris Woakes, struck with his second ball when Sri Lanka captain Kusal Perera was lbw for a duck after top-scoring for the tourists with 73 on Tuesday.
Two balls later, still in the second over of the match, Avishka Fernando was lbw to Curran as he shuffled across the crease.
Sri Lanka slumped to 12-3 when Pathum Nissanka was clean bowled between bat and pad by Curran on the drive.
The collapse continued when Charith Asalanka miscued a pull off Willey to short mid-wicket.
At 21-4, Sri Lanka risked being dismissed for less than their all-time lowest ODI total of 43 all out against South Africa in Paarl in 2012.
But De Silva, stroking some stylish boundaries off an England attack that also included Tom Curran, Sam's brother, meant they avoided that embarrassment.
De Silva had just moved into the 90s when, next ball, he fell nine short of a maiden ODI hundred as he too perished to the short ball, top-edging a pull off Willey to Root in the deep.
The visibly disappointed batsman walked off to a generous round of applause before Shanaka and Karunaratne helped Sri Lanka bat out their full 50 overs.
ENGLAND: Jonny Bairstow (wk), Jason Roy, Joe Root, Eoin Morgan (capt), Sam Billings, Moeen Ali, Sam Curran, David Willey, Tom Curran, Adil Rashid, Mark Wood
SRI LANKA: Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Perera (capt & wk), Avishka Fernando, Dhananjaya de Silva, Wanindu Hasaranga, Dasun Shanaka, Charith Asalanka, Chamika Karunaratne, Binura Fernando, Dushmantha Chameera, Asitha Fernando