England sweep Sri Lanka series in low-scoring thriller

Third T20 international, Pallekele

England 128-9 (20 overs): Curran 58 (48); Chameera 5-24

Sri Lanka 116 (19.3 overs): Kusal Mendis 26 (26); Bethell 4-11, Jacks 3-14

England won by 12 runs; won series 3-0

Scorecard

England successfully defended a target of 129 to win by 12 runs against Sri Lanka in an enthralling contest, completing a 3-0 T20 series sweep and entering the World Cup with momentum.

Sam Curran hit a career-best 58 after a top-order collapse as England finished on 128-9, before the tourists’ spinners took nine wickets to pull off an unlikely victory.

Will Jacks took 3-14, while Jacob Bethell secured the last four Sri Lankan wickets, including three in one over, to finish with 4-11 as the hosts were bowled out for 116.

Having chosen to bat, opener Ben Duckett was dismissed lbw for a golden duck, while Jacob Bethell, Tom Banton and Harry Brook were all removed for single figures prior to Curran taking his side to a score that still looked challenging to defend.

Having already lost the series with defeat in the first two games, Sri Lanka bowled superbly, with seamer Dushmantha Chameera taking 5-24, including the wicket of Curran with the penultimate ball of the innings.

Luke Wood and Liam Dawson took early wickets on a worn pitch, before Kusal Mendis and Pavan Rathnayake fell to consecutive deliveries from Adil Rashid and Jacks.

Sri Lanka were still favourites and reached 90-4 before Jacks struck again, removing Kamindu Mendis and Janith Liyanage in consecutive overs.

Part-time spinner Jacob Bethell then took control, dismissing Dunith Wellalage, Chameera and Dasun Shanaka in the 18th over.

Having been handed the final over, he wrapped up the match with the dismissal of Maheesh Theekshana, helping England set a record for the lowest total they have ever successfully defended in T20s.

England start their World Cup campaign against Nepal on Sunday, 8 February (09:30 GMT).

Having won the preceding one-day series and taken the first two T20s, England risked stalling a successful build-up for the World Cup with a heavy defeat in the final fixture.

However, their spinners starred in Pallekele, offering promise for the upcoming tournament, which is to be staged in India and Sri Lanka.

Adil Rashid and Liam Dawson both performed well, each taking 1-25, but England will be especially delighted that all-rounder Jacks and occasional spinner Bethell stepped up to outshine the front-line spinners.

On a pitch that offered the greatest level of turn in the series, Brook exclusively bowled spinners after the powerplay, and turned to Bethell and Jacks as his sixth and seventh bowlers.

Jacks broke a partnership of 28 that looked set to take Sri Lanka over the victory line, trapping Kamindu Mendis lbw and then having Linyage caught on his return to the attack.

Bethell then rattled through the Sri Lankan lower order, with the hosts losing their last four wickets for four runs to fall to defeat and extending their losing run against England in this format to 11 matches.

England coach Brendon McCullum will also be pleased with the performance of Wood, who was rotated in for Jofra Archer and bowled excellently in his two overs, removing Sri Lanka opener for a duck after three balls of the innings.

Having twice successfully chased to secure the series, England skipper Brook could be forgiven for experimenting with setting a target after winning his third toss in a row.

However his side were swiftly in trouble, with the out-of-form Ben Duckett, playing in his first game of the series thanks to a Phil Salt injury in the warm-up, trapped lbw from the third ball of the innings.

Bethell edged behind and Banton was bowled by Dunith Wellalage before Brook chipped a catch to Liyanage, with England finding themselves 34-4 inside the last over of the powerplay.

Jos Buttler was then bowled by spinner Theekshana while Jacks became Chameera’s second victim, before Curran began to rebuild the innings.

The Surrey all-rounder, who took a hat-trick in the first match of the series, reached his half-century from 44 balls, batting steadily on a worn pitch.

He added 47 with Dawson (14) before the Hampshire spinner was caught in the deep off Chameera, and the seamer had Jamie Overton caught by Liyanage three balls later.

The veteran pacer removed Curran, caught at deep third, to complete his first five-for in the format, helping condemn England to their lowest ever score against Sri Lanka in T20s, but one that ultimately they could defend.