Jacks 5-22 and 46 not out as England beat Sri Lanka by 89 runs at Chester-le-Street

Will Jacks starred as England beat Sri Lanka by 89 runs in the first Metro Bank one-day international at Chester-le-Street on 22 September 2026, taking 5-22 and remaining 46 not out as England defended 265. The hosts dismissed Sri Lanka for 176 in 37 overs to take a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.

England posted 265 after being bowled out in 48.1 overs, with Harry Brook making 67 off 69 balls and Joe Root scoring 44; Jacks added an unbeaten 46. Sri Lanka were led with the bat by Dunith Wellalage, who made 45 off 36 balls, while debutant Sachindu Colombage finished with 3-44.

The match was played on a slow, low pitch that limited scoring and contributed to England being bowled out inside 49 overs; England failed to hit a six when batting first for the first time since 2019. England have now won 10 white-ball matches in a row against Sri Lanka this year and were dismissed for the 12th time since Brendon McCullum took charge of the white-ball sides last year.

Sachindu Colombage, making his Sri Lanka debut, used his leg-spin to remove Root by hitting the off stump, had Jos Buttler lbw for 31 and dismissed Jamie Overton with a googly for eight as he claimed 3-44. Brook was the only batter to fall during a middle-order collapse of 4-29 when he sliced a drive to deep cover after having batted in a restrained manner.

Jacks rebuilt England’s innings after the collapse, extending the total from 211-7 in the 39th over and taking 18 runs from the 47th over before Asitha Fernando, who had earlier removed Tom Banton in the powerplay, used reverse swing to bowl Jofra Archer and Josh Tongue. With the ball, Jacks removed Kusal Mendis and Charith Asalanka and then finished the innings by cleaning up the tail for career-best figures of 5-22.

Sri Lanka showed improvement in the field but were largely cautious with the bat; Wellalage struck two sixes during his 36-ball 45 at number seven. When Asitha Fernando and Dilshan Madushanka followed, Jacks recorded the best figures by an England spinner since Vic Marks in 1984. Rehan Ahmed, who had an opportunity to press his case with Adil Rashid out of the series with a hand injury, was run out for two, dropped a caught-and-bowled chance in his first over and finished with figures of 46 off seven overs. Gus Atkinson returned 1-25 in seven overs and Jamie Overton 2-21 in five.

England can seal a third ODI series win in a row with a game to spare on Thursday at Headingley; the three-match contest concludes on Sunday at The Oval.