Chris Jordan Inspires England to 81-run Win Over Sri Lanka

England provided a much-needed kick-start to their home international summer with a rain-affected 81-run win under the Duckworth-Lewis method over Sri Lanka at The Oval.

After seeing their innings reduced to 39 overs, half-centuries for Ian Bell and Gary BalLance was following by a late blitz from Chris Jordan (38 not out) as England set an adjusted total of 259 to win.

Sri Lanka lost Lahiru Thirimanne (0) in the first over and, amid another delay for rain which saw their target re-calculated to 226, never recovered as England grabbed a 1-0 lead in the five match series with Jordan taking 3-21 and spinner James Tredwell finishing with 3-38.

But the day belonged to Jordan, who further enhanced his credentials for a maiden Test call-up with a man-of-the-match performance in which he displayed all the capabilities of a genuine all-rounder at the home of former club Surrey.

After Monday's nine-run defeat to Sri Lanka - who had lost one of their previous 20 matches in all forms of cricket - in the one-off T20 international, England brought back captain Alastair Cook in place of Michael Carberry while James Anderson replaced Chris Woakes.

With inclement weather expected, Sri Lanka crucially won the toss and put England into bat, and the hosts suffered early problems as after a slow start, Cook (11) was first dropped by Tilakaratne Dilshan at point before being given out as he edged Nuwan Kulasekara behind.

Fellow-opener Bell continued to rattle along and reached his half century in the final ball of the 20<sup>th over from a classy 52 balls

But with moisture in the air, Bell's exuberance saw him smash Angelo Mathews straight down long leg's throat with the players going off without another ball being delivered, with England 101 for 2.

A two and a half hour delay saw the game shortened to 39 overs per side but the break did nothing to alter England's form, as Eoin Morgan was dismissed with the fourth ball after the restart after playing on having failed to pick up Sachithra Senenayake's length.

Ballance remained however and he held up Sri Lanka's progress with a well-crafted fifty before he hit Suranga Lakmal for six and four in the 27<sup>th over as England targeted a total approaching 250.

However, those hopes looked forlorn when Ballance found Dinesh Chandimal on the boundary and Ravi Bopara was trapped by Senanayake as the mystery spinner claimed two decisive scalps.

Joe Root (45) showed signs of rediscovering some form but despite a few classy strokes, which saw him beat short fine leg to get four, he succumbed to the need to up the rate as he played all-around Kulasekara's delivery.

But the final two-over power play produced 38 runs as Chris Jordan's cameo of 38 from 13 balls and Joe Buttler's 26 from 20 balls helped England finish on 247 for 6 and set Sri Lanka a Duckworth-Lewis adjusted total of 259 to win.

And with the momentum England powered into the ascendency with two early wickets as the rain threatened to return. Anderson had Thirimanne trapped lbw for a duck in the first over, which was incorrectly reviewed, before Harry Gurney bowled Kumar Sangakkara (8) for his first one-day international wicket.

Dilshan and Mahela Jayawardene guided Sri Lanka to 60 for 2 when the rain returned in the 14<sup>th over but once it quickly cleared the difficulty of tourists' task swelled as the readjusted total saw them require another 166 to win from the 18.3 overs remaining.

Jayawardene struck three fours as Sri Lanka attempted to keep up with the daunting rate required but after Dilshan was dismissed by Jordan, his over ambition contributed to his downfall as he chipped Trewell to Morgan for 35.

Chandimal (8) edged Jordan behind and Kulasekara (0) skied one to Buttler as England's grip on the match tightened and when Cook pulled off a remarkable catch to dismisss Mathews (18) off Tredwell the hosts knew they were heading for victory.

Tredwell grabbed his third scalp as Thisara Perera (2) hammered the ball to Root at long-on, Gurney claimed his second when Senanayake (11) chipped to Bell and Bopara bowled Lasith Malinga as Sri Lanka finished on 144 all out to hand England an emphatic victory.