Banton's 126 and Cox's late carnage power England to 355/7 in ODI series decider at The Oval

England piled up a commanding 355/7 in their 50 overs against Sri Lanka in the third and decisive ODI at The Oval on Thursday, with Tom Banton and stand-in skipper Harry Brook producing a dominant middle-overs assault before Jordan Cox's late cameo took the game away from the visitors.

A shaky start

England's decision to bat first in the series decider began on a shaky note when Dilshan Madushanka knocked over Ben Duckett for a duck in the second over. Sri Lanka then had a golden chance to blow the contest wide open, but a dropped catch gave Joe Root an early lifeline. Root had to work hard for his 18 off 37 deliveries before falling to Janith Liyanage, while Tom Banton kept the scoring ticking with a brisk counter-attack that steadied the ship.

Banton and Brook take full control

The middle overs turned into a run feast as Banton joined forces with skipper Harry Brook to snatch the game away from the visitors. The pair dominated the bowling in a sparkling 150-run stand off just 117 balls. Brook looked fluent right from ball one, stroking a rapid 77, while Banton anchored the assault with a scintillating 126 packed with boundaries. By the time both departed, England were firmly cruising toward a massive score.

Cox's late carnage seals a mammoth total

Sri Lanka clawed their way back with a few strikes, but Jordan Cox, in his first series back in the ODI side, ensured the innings finished with a bang. Cox shifted through the gears effortlessly, hammering 76 off 52 balls to bring up his maiden ODI fifty, and combined with Jamie Overton's 21 for a whirlwind 68-run partnership. During the stand, Janith Liyanage spilled a straightforward chance at long on off Eshan Malinga to gift Overton a reprieve, and Charith Asalanka also put down a difficult chance in the deep.

Despite Asitha Fernando striking twice at the death — bowling Cox with a yorker that clipped the top of the stumps and then castling Liam Dawson for a golden duck with a perfect toe-crusher — England powered all the way to 355/7, leaving Sri Lanka a mountainous target of 356 to take the series decider.

Fernando finished with three wickets but bore the brunt of the late assault, conceding 20 runs in one over that included a no-ball and a lap-swept six from Cox over fine leg. Can Sri Lanka come up with something special in the chase? The reply is coming up shortly.