An England record opening partnership of 256 between Alex Hales and Jason Roy led their side to a crushing 10-wicket win over Sri Lanka in the second one-day international in Birmingham on Friday.
Hales scored 133 not out and Roy an unbeaten 112 in England´s highest first-wicket partnership in one-day cricket and they overhauled Sri Lanka´s 254 for seven with more than 15 overs to spare.
It is just the sixth such victory England have achieved in their ODI history and the highest score against which any side has achieved it. It is the fifth time Sri Lanka have been defeated by ten wickets in an ODI.
Their stand was not only a record for England’s opening pair – overhauling Vikram Solanki and Marcus Trescothick’s 200 partnership against South Africa in 2003 – but the highest for any wicket in ODIs by England batsmen. Previously, Andrew Strauss and Jonathan Trott – who put on 250 together against Bangladesh here in 2010 – held the record.
England leads the five-match series 1-0 after the first match in Nottingham was tied.
Sri Lanka opted to bat after winning the toss but their total always looked inadequate on a good batting pitch at Edgbaston as England took wickets at regular intervals.
Dinesh Chandimal and Angelo Mathews shared a fourth-wicket stand of 82 to give their side a platform.
Mathews fell for 44, however, and Chandimal was run out for 52 by Roy who had earlier produced a brilliant piece of fielding to run out Kusal Perera.
Upul Tharanga struck an unbeaten 53 to give Sri Lanka hope but England´s bowlers maintained a tight grip throughout, leg-spinner Adil Rasheed the pick of the attack with figures of 2-34 from 10 overs.
Hales and man-of-the-match Roy were completely in command against a toothless Sri Lanka attack.
Hales smashed six sixes and 10 fours while Roy went to his second one-day international century with his fourth six before driving Seekkuge Prasanna to the cover boundary to seal a victory.
The third match of the series is in Bristol on Sunday.