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Harry Brook\u2019s first masterpiece of the winter, lost in defeat, seems an age ago. It was in his side\u2019s first one-day international against New Zealand<\/a> back in October, his 101-ball 135 somehow landing in the middle of nine single-figure England scores.<\/p>\n The nightclub bouncer\u2019s punch followed, the Ashes tour went wrong and then came the reveal of the former. A lot has happened, but moments of genius in the middle always lurk close by when it comes to Brook. Here, in their final ODI of the winter, he brought it all together with an unbeaten 136 off 66 balls, taking England to a prized series victory in Sri Lanka, the decider won by 53 runs.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n So Brook, after the worst episode of his career, has written a fresh chapter. His 136 not out was the fastest hundred by an England ODI captain on foreign soil, by miles: his strike rate was 206 per hundred balls, when the previous best was 146 by Liam Livingstone in Antigua in 2024. In the last four overs of England\u2019s innings, Brook scored 64 while Root made four. He handled his seven bowlers well too, held three catches and pulled off a run-out. After labouring to 42 off 75 balls in the previous game, he had one of those days when everything suddenly goes right. His position as captain, so nearly thrown away on a foolish night out in Wellington, is secure for the moment, and so is Brendon McCullum\u2019s as the white-ball coach.<\/p>\n We hope you\u2019ll join us for the T20 series between these two sides, which starts on Friday at 1.30pm GMT. For now, as ever, thanks for your company.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a012.12 EST<\/p>\n Asked to comment on the pitch, Brook chuckles knowingly. \u201cNo, it was a decent wicket,\u201d he says. \u201cEnded up being better than we thought!\u201d<\/p>\n He accepts the trophy, which is much like the one for the Champions League in football, only even bigger. When the team line up with it, it all but oscures Jamie Overton, which takes some doing.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Here\u2019s Harry Brook, bringing some English understatement. \u201cI was working on a few things with Rooty in the nets yesterday,\u201d he says, \u201cand thankfully it paid off.\u201d<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Time for the presentations. You\u2019ll never guess who the Player of the Match is \u2026 yes, it\u2019s Harry Brook. He collects a trophy and 2,000 US dollars. Player of the Series is almost as straightforward: it\u2019s Joe Root, who today became the first Englishman to make 20 hundreds in ODIs. \u201cMore than anything, Root says, \u201cyou want to help the team win games\u2026 Harry came in and just took the game on \u2013 showed his versatility after the way he played the other day.\u201d<\/p>\n And now Root is heading home. \u201cI\u2019m quite looking forward to it, to be honest.\u201d<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a011.41 EST<\/p>\n As if it wasn\u2019t enough of a shock to see England win an ODI series, we also have an email. \u201cEngland\u2019s varied spin attack has been a pleasure to watch,\u201d says Colum Fordham. \u201cObviously, Rashid leads the pack and I\u2019m relieved he has outfoxed the dangerous Hasaranga, Duckett making amends for his drop off Bethell. But Dawson, Rehan, Jacks and Bethell have all played their part. Whether they are good enough to trouble the better teams in the T20 World Cup remains to be seen.\u201d<\/p>\n True. And you\u2019re right, they all did their bit \u2013 Dawson recovering from a bad start to deliver an excellent finish, Jacks taking two wickets, Bethell being economical (5-0-28-0), Rehan emulating him until one big over. The seamers did well too, taking three wickets along with some punishment on a pitch that was a batters\u2019 paradise.<\/p>\n England’s team members pose with the trophy following their win over Sri Lanka in the third ODI match. Photograph: Eranga Jayawardena\/APShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a011.49 EST<\/p>\n England won by 53 runs. In the book, it won\u2019t even look close, but it was, thanks to a magnificent first hundred from Pavan Rathnayake. He matched Joe Root by motoring along at a run a ball. At the end, he tried to match Harry Brook and briefly threatened to, but Sam Curran\u2019s smarts proved too much for him.<\/p>\n For Brook, it\u2019s been the best day he\u2019s had since becoming England\u2019s official white-ball captain. After starting this series with their customary collapse, they\u2019ve bounced back and won it in style. Brook\u2019s innings was one of the best ever played for England in this format \u2013 136 off just 66 balls, so he faced only 11 of the 50 overs, but used them to make all the difference. I\u2019m not sure who decides the Man of the Match but they\u2019ve got the easiest job in the ground.<\/p>\n England’s team members celebrate their win over Sri Lanka in the third ODI cricket match between England and Sri Lanka. Photograph: Eranga Jayawardena\/APShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a011.49 EST<\/p>\n ENGLAND WIN THE SERIES! Rathnayake b Curran 121 (SL 304 all out)<\/p>\n Curran produces a yorker, and that is that! What a day for Harry Brook.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a011.28 EST<\/p>\n 46th over: Sri Lanka 298-9 (Rathnayake 115, Fernando 0) That\u2019s a masterly over from Dawson \u2013 one wicket, one run, the required rate suddenly leaping to 15. But it\u2019s his last one, so now Jacks may have to find four overs from the seamers, Jacks, Bethell and Rehan. Or even Root, who found himself bowling the last over the other day.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>WICKET! Vandersay c Curran b Dawson 14 (Sri Lanka 298-9)<\/p>\n Dawson has got better and better this evening and now he lures Vandersay into a skyer. Curran, at mid-off, makes no mistake.<\/p>\n England’s Liam Dawson celebrates the wicket of Sri Lanka’s Jeffrey Vandersay. Photograph: Eranga Jayawardena\/APShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a011.29 EST<\/p>\n 45th over: Sri Lanka 297-8 (Rathnayake 114, Vandersay 14) The picture on my telly disappears at the wrong moment \u2013 just as Rathanayake is hitting his first six! Rehan is bowling and Rathnayake smells blood. Vandersay comes to the party with a reverse sweep for four. That\u2019s 14 off the over! SL need 61 off the last five. Just possible.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a011.14 EST<\/p>\n 44th over: Sri Lanka 283-8 (Rathnayake 106, Vandersay 8) That single came off Rashid, who\u2019s just bowled his final over. He almost takes a wicket with his last ball as Rathnayake lofts a sweep close to Rehan in the deep, but it goes for four. Rashid finishes with 10-1-61-2, so they\u2019ve played him pretty well. SL need 75 from the last six overs. It\u2019s a huge ask, but while there\u2019s Rathnayake, there\u2019s hope.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a011.13 EST<\/p>\n A hundred to Pavan Rathnayake!<\/p>\n There it is! A first fine careful hundred for Rathnayake, who is 23, bowls off-breaks, bowls leg-breaks, and bats with great aplomb. He reaches three figures with a dance down the track, an easy single and a big smile.<\/p>\n Sri Lanka’s Pavan Rathnayake celebrates his century. Photograph: Eranga Jayawardena\/APShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a011.13 EST<\/p>\n 42nd over: Sri Lanka 271-8 (Rathnayake 99, Vandersay 3) Brook does have two close catchers now, but only for the new batter. Rashid thinks he\u2019s got another wicket as Vandersay misses a sweep and the ball loops up to Brook at slip. The review takes forever when it\u2019s clearly the forearm, not the glove. Rathnayake, undaunted, comes down the track to make a full toss, which he whacks for four. Maybe he\u2019s going to play the role of Brook as well as Root.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>WICKET! Hasaranga c Duckett b Rashid 9 (Sri Lanka 264-8)<\/p>\n Gone! Rashid lures Hasaranga into a chip which just isn\u2019t timed. Duckett takes the catch as if he\u2019d never dropped one a few minutes ago.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 41st over: Sri Lanka 263-7 (Rathnayake 94, Hasaranga 9) Hasaranga fancies this. Facing Curran, he plays himself in for two balls, then strokes a gorgeous off-drive on the up for four, folowed by a pull for four more. Eleven off the over!<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 40th over: Sri Lanka 252-7 (Rathnayake 92, Hasaranga 0) Meanwhile Rathnayake motors on into the 90s. He\u2019s done a Root, but now he needs someone to impersonate Brook. Cometh the hour, cometh Hasaranga?<\/p>\n Share<\/a>WICKET! Wellalage c Jacks b Dawson 22 (Sri Lanka 252-7)<\/p>\n Liam Dawson returns, produces a fine over and finishes it with a wicket as he tempts Wellalage with an arm ball outside off. Wellalage swings but can only sky it and Jacks, at backward point, redeems himself with a calm catch.<\/p>\n England’s Will Jacks takes the catch to dismiss Sri Lanka’s Dunith Wellalage. Photograph: Eranga Jayawardena\/APShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a011.12 EST<\/p>\n 39th over: Sri Lanka 248-6 (Rathnayake 89, Wellalage 21) Brook takes Rashid off after just one over and goes back to seam. It\u2019s Sam Curran, grunting as he goes, and he does well, restricting the batters to three \u2013 and one of those is down to a misfield from Jacks. The rate required creeps into double figures: 109 needed off 11 overs. They can\u2019t manage that, can they?<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 38th over: Sri Lanka 246-6 (Rathnayake 87, Wellalage 21) Brook persists with Bethell, who\u2019s done pretty well. He nearly does even better as a slog-sweep from Wellalage sails towards Duckett at deep square \u2013 but it\u2019s dropped! That\u2019s the first blemish in the field from England today. Wellalage celebrates by hitting the last ball of the over for six over long-off. That\u2019s ten off the over.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 37th over: Sri Lanka 236-6 (Rathnayake 86, Wellalage 13) Rashid takes over from Rehan, the master replacing the apprentice. The batters aren\u2019t bothered: they take six singles. SL need 122 from 13 overs at 9.38.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a010.43 EST<\/p>\n Drinks: SL’s hopes rest on Rathnayake<\/p>\n 36th over: Sri Lanka 230-6 (Rathnayake 83, Wellalage 10) Bethell needs to get through this over without conceding a four, and he does. That\u2019s drinks, with SL needing another 128 from 84 balls, and Pavan Rathnayake doing his damnedest to stop this being Harry Brook\u2019s finest hour in ODI cricket.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a010.32 EST<\/p>\n 35th over: Sri Lanka 225-6 (Rathnayake 79, Wellalage 9) Do Sri Lanka still believe? Pavan Rathnayake does! Facuing Rehan, he thumps a full toss for four, then makes a decent ball into another full toss by coming down the track and belting that for four too. Nine off the over \u2013 but that\u2019s what they need every over now, so England remain the favourites.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 34th over: Sri Lanka 216-6 (Rathnayake 70, Wellalage 9) If Morgan was still in charge, England would have had a slip for all these spinners and maybe a short leg too. Brook, who did well to bring a slip in a while ago, has now taken him out again and it costs him as Jacks twice finds the edge of Dunith Wellalage\u2019s bat. One nick is stopped by short third, the other sneaks away for four. Seven off the over.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a010.28 EST<\/p>\n 33rd over: Sri Lanka 209-6 (Rathnayake 68, Wellalage 4) Another decent over from Rehan, another four singles. The rate required has risen to 8.76, which will be too much for the lower order unless somebody launches a blitz.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 32nd over: Sri Lanka 205-6 (Rathnayake 66, Wellalage 2) Will Jacks may not look much of a bowler but he has 2-36 off seven overs today, while England\u2019s other four spinners have 1-97 from 18 overs between them.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>WICKET! Dhananjaya c Brook b Jacks 9 (Sri Lanka 202-6)<\/p>\n Another catch in the ring! Dhananjaya\u2019s attempted slog goes straight to midwicket, and Brook has his third catch of the day. He may also have his hands on the Player of the Match award.<\/p>\n England’s Will Jacks celebrates with teammates after taking the wicket of Sri Lanka’s Dhananjaya de Silva. Photograph: Eranga Jayawardena\/APShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a010.40 EST<\/p>\n 31st over: Sri Lanka 202-5 (Rathnayake 65, Dhananjaya 9) And here comes England\u2019s fifth spinner, Rehan Ahmed. Like Bethell, he\u2019s an exciting cricketer, and he too starts well \u2013 four singles.<\/p>\n At this stage of England\u2019s innings, the score was 166-2 and Harry Brook hadn\u2019t faced a ball.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 30th over: Sri Lanka 198-5 (Rathnayake 63, Dhananjaya 7) Rashid bowls his seventh over and almost picks up a caught-and-bowled as Rathnayake mistimes a shovel off the back foot, but it\u2019s one of those nasty ones that you have to dive forward for. With 20 overs left, Sri Lanka need 160. The arithmetic is straightforward; the task is not.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 29th over: Sri Lanka 192-5 (Rathnayake 61, Dhananjaya 4) Bethell offers his first freebie, straying outside off, and Rathnayake helps himself to a cut for four. Eight off the over, which is just what SL need. According to CricViz, they have a 6pc chance of managing it.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 28th over: Sri Lanka 185-5 (Rathnayake 55, Dhananjaya 2) Rathnayake, facing Rashid, glances for two to reach a first fine careful fifty in his fourth one-day international. He will have to make at least another fifty and he\u2019s already on the way, adding four more as a thick edge squirts away to third man.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a010.02 EST<\/p>\n 27th over: Sri Lanka 177-5 (Rathnayake 48, Dhananjaya 1) Bethell continues and does well again, going for only two. The rate required is climbing, to 7.86 now, and SL are still not quite halfway there.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 26th over: Sri Lanka 174-5 (Rathnayake 46, Dhananjaya 0) Another over from Dawson was unfolding with the odd comfortable single and no alarms. And then Liyanage pushed into the off side, set off for a run \u2013 and found Rathnayake stopping half-way. Liyanage turned back but he was doomed as Brook just had to send a half-decent throw into Buttler.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>WICKET! Liyanage run out 22 (Sri Lanka 174-5)<\/p>\n Out of nowhere, a calamity for the Sri Lankans!<\/p>\n Janith Liyanage of Sri Lanka shows his disappointment after been run out. Photograph: Sameera Peiris\/Getty ImagesShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a010.41 EST<\/p>\n 25th over: Sri Lanka 171-4 (Rathnayake 43, Liyanage 19) Brook turns to his fourth spinner. It could be Rehan Ahmed, but instead it\u2019s Jacob Bethell: maybe Brook feels a bit bad about overshadowing his fine 65. Bethell starts well, getting the ball to grip and prompting both batters to mistime it. Only three off the over.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 24th over: Sri Lanka 168-4 (Rathnayake 43, Liyanage 19) Facing Dawson again, these two do better, taking six off the over. There\u2019s a minor scare as England review for LBW, but Liyanage got some glove on his attempted sweep and it goes into the book as three more to the batter. Sri Lanka need 190 off 26 overs at 7.3.<\/p>\n