ENG vs SL: Chris Woakes And Joe Root Star As England Overwhelm Sri Lanka In 1st ODI

Chris Woakes set up a comfortable five-wicket win finished by Joe Root as England again proved too strong for Sri Lanka in the opening one-day international at the Riverside on Tuesday to go 1-0 up in

Woakes deceived Pathum Nissanka before having Dasun Shanaka well taken by Test captain Root in the slips. In between those wickets, David Willey had debutant Charith Asalanka out for a duck.

Perera and Hasaranga kept England at bay, the former with stylish top-order and the latter aggressively taking 22 in boundaries off fellow leg-spinner Adil Rashid. Woakes' return ended the partnership, with Hasaranga holing out in the deep.

That was the start of a collapse that saw seven wickets lost for 40 runs, with left-arm quick Willey removing Perera on his way to 3-44. The innings ended when Sam Billings ran out Praveen Jayawickrama with a direct hit.

Jonny Bairstow hit the first two balls of England's reply for four before he played on to paceman Binura Fernando for 43 England captain Eoin Morgan and Sam Billings, in a team without Dawid Malan due to personal reasons, both fell cheaply to fast bowler Dushmantha Chameera.

But Sri Lanka, defending such a low total, needed every chance to go to hand if they were to achieve an improbable victory. Instead wicketkeeper Perera dropped Moeen Ali first ball. Had he clung on, England would have been 80-5 - by the time Moeen was out for 28 they had all but won the game at 171-5.

Root batted serenely, hitting just two fours in a 58-ball fifty before looking on as Sam Curran struck the winning runs.