England’s one day side continues its quiet resurgence, edging past Sri Lanka in Durham to open the series with a solid win. This victory, though far from spectacular, extended a promising run: five wins from seven matches in 2026 under the Brook and McCullum pairing.
The opening ODI proved tougher than any of the recent T20 clashes, largely thanks to Sachindu Colombage, Sri Lanka’s debutant leg spinner, who troubled England’s middle order on a sluggish pitch that offered no boundaries over the rope. Harry Brook stood out as the only England batter to look truly settled before his dismissal.
Sri Lanka’s chase never gained traction. Despite a battling 42 from returning captain Kusal Mendis and some late aggression from Dunith Wellalage, their batting lineup crumbled against Jamie Overton’s variations and Will Jacks’s spin. Jacks sealed the contest with three wickets inside four deliveries, finishing with remarkable figures of five for 22, ranking among the finest bowling returns by an England spin bowler in ODI history.
Notably, this performance meant injured spinner Adil Rashid’s absence barely registered. Jacks also contributed with the bat, striking an unbeaten 46 to help push England to a total of 265.
This win adds to England’s gradual climb after years of underwhelming white ball form following their 2019 World Cup triumph. Starting this year ranked eighth globally, the team now has real momentum, having already fought back to win series against both Sri Lanka and India.
For McCullum, it’s been a difficult year following his Test coaching exit, yet his partnership with Brook keeps yielding results, with ten wins from eleven completed matches this summer alone.
