England crush Sri Lanka in ODI decider as Tom Banton hits maiden international century

England overwhelmed Sri Lanka in the deciding one-day international in September as Tom Banton struck his maiden international century and England secured a 2-1 series victory. England posted 355 for seven before bowling Sri Lanka out for 132 in 29.1 overs.

Banton made 126 from 105 balls and Jordan Cox contributed 76 from 52 as the pair helped drive England’s total, while Will Jacks took the final wicket and was named player of the series. The match came at the end of a testing summer for England, a period that centred on the Test side and in which Brendon McCullum was relieved of only half of his duties as head coach in July. Coverage noted Harry Brook’s white-ball sides had been showing an upward trajectory in 2026.

Before the game Banton had played just three List A matches in the past five years, two of them in the previous week, yet he combined with Brook in a 150-run third-wicket stand. Brook made 77 from 66 during that partnership, while Banton struck 16 fours and five sixes; his fifty arrived off 51 balls and he reached three figures 44 deliveries later. Banton also advanced down the wicket to spinner Dunith Wellalage and drove through extra cover to provoke a standing ovation.

Jordan Cox came in at 218 for three in the 35th over and initially scored at about a run a ball before accelerating to his 76 from 52, his innings including six fours and two sixes. That knock was Cox’s first List A fifty and came in his 10th match in the format, and his wicketkeeping to the spinners was singled out as impressive. Ben Duckett registered a five-ball duck early in England’s innings.

Sri Lanka’s chase faltered immediately after Brook handed one of the two new balls to Sonny Baker, who had Pathum Nissanka caught behind with his second delivery; Baker was playing in place of the rested Josh Tongue and claimed his maiden ODI wicket after a difficult debut last summer. Gus Atkinson took two powerplay wickets when Kamindu and Kusal Mendis top-edged to the inner ring, and Liam Dawson, selected in place of the dropped Rehan Ahmed, finished with three for 36 from eight overs.

A contentious run-out was a principal talking point as Sri Lanka collapsed: Jofra Archer’s direct hit on Pavan Rathnayake initially produced a "Not Out" signal on the big screen, but third umpire Adrian Holdstock reversed the decision after judging Archer’s throw had knocked the stump clean out of the ground, an outcome referenced under Law 29.2. The reversal stood as Sri Lanka lost further wickets under scoreboard pressure.

England’s side ended the match looking inexperienced in places after Jos Buttler left with a hamstring injury and, in the frame of selection, Had Jacob Bethell and Jos Buttler been fit, both would have been running the drinks in all likelihood. The loss of Buttler meant Joe Root was the only England player with more than 50 one-day caps in the XI; Root was trapped lbw by Jarith Liyanage in a dismissal that the report said he would be pondering, and nine of his 13 dismissals this summer involved the ball hitting his pad.

The result completed a 2-1 series win for England and capped what the coverage described as five straight series victories across formats for the side; Joe Root will head into a six-week break before the white-ball tour of Australia.