England v Sri Lanka first ODI preview: Hosts looking to outclass visitors once again

With the T20 series with England proving to be too hot to handle for Sri Lanka, they could find playing the world champions in the ODI format even more of an uphill battle.

England dominated the three-match T20 series last week, winning every game in emphatic fashion. Starting the ODI series at the Emirates Riverside, the two sides will want to get their ODI campaigns off to a good start and Eoin Morgan will be eager to keep the unbeaten run going.

England too classy to be troubled

It’s no secret that England seem to have unlocked the key to white-ball cricket success in recent years and after the T20 series last week it looks likely that Sri Lanka will be in for a tough remainder of the tour. The England camp would have been pleased with some individual performances, including a half century from Johnny Bairstow and Dawid Malan in the final game.

The pair put on a 105-run partnership for the opening wicket and although there was cause for some concern further down the innings when England lost five wickets for 19, it was still a pleasing overall performance. To see Malan, the top ranked T20 batsman in the world, return to form with a blistering 76 from 48 balls would have been very pleasing for Morgan with the T20 World Cup looming on the horizon.

Sri Lanka’s run chase never really got started with David Willey taking first blood in what was just the second ball of their innings. Sri Lanka couldn’t recover from that initial loss and all they could muster was their fourth lowest score in T20s. On the other hand, England recorded their fourth biggest win in terms of runs in the format. The short series would have come as a welcome confidence boost for England, as they prepare to bid for the World Cup this autumn, but for now attention will shift to the ODI series.

World champions return

England will want to bounce back from their last ODI series which resulted in a loss to India, the same country they will be visiting in the T20 World Cup. This three-match series with Sri Lanka will be a welcome opportunity for the hosts to get back on track before tougher opponents will be faced later in the summer. It will also be the perfect chance for Morgan to experiment with his squad.

There have already been inclusions made to the squad from players not before seen in the England set-up. One of those who will be hopeful of turning his squad selection into a place in the starting line-up is Sussex’s George Garton. The left-arm bowler has been nothing but impressive when lining up for the south coast county, and his ability with the bat will be welcomed by the selectors who seem eager to adopt a ‘no tail’ approach. The young seamer is 9/2 to make the best possible impact on debut and lead England’s wicket charge.

From a batting perspective, this series should be an opportunity for some of England’s returning stars to fill their boots and some big scores are expected. Of those at the top of the market, the in-form Bairstow is capable of landing a big blow and is 9/4 to do so as England’s highest scoring batsman. Joe Root will return to the white ball side having missed the T20 series and if he arrives into this in the rich vein of form he has been having of late then his price of 3/1 could certainly seem appealing.

Whoever takes the wickets or gets the runs for England, one thing you can be sure of is that this should be a one-sided series. The prices reflect that with England a 1/8 shot for victory in the first ODI while Sri Lanka are as big as 5/1.

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