England vs Sri Lanka Second ODI Predictions: 11/4 Brook Turns Up Heat As Hosts Continue Fine Run

England are clear cricket betting favourites for their match against Sri Lanka on Thursday and readers can find predictions and best bets on the match at William Hill News.

On a slow, low, turning pitch, England posted 265 in the opening match of the series. It wasn’t a dynamic batting performance from the hosts, but it was an above par total and they defended it with ease. Will Jacks starred with the ball, taking five wickets as Sri Lanka were bowled out for 176.

Hopes of the 50-over series being much more competitive than the T20 contests didn’t last long. England are without Adil Rashid for the rest of the series due to a hand injury, but it would be a major surprise if the hosts lost a match to this Sri Lankan team.

Best Bets

• Harry Brook Top England Batter (11/4)
• Ashitha Fernando Sri Lanka Top Bowler (7/2)

It feels pretty safe backing Harry Brook as England’s top scorer right now. His white-ball form is utterly outrageous, and he continued that trend with 67 off 69 balls in the opening match of this series. Don’t be surprised if he’s in the runs again on his home ground on Thursday.

Asitha Fernando got some movement with the new ball and managed to generate some reverse at the death. He bowled an absolute seed to get rid of Tom Banton and could pick up some easy wickets if England are swinging for the fences when he returns for a second or third spell.

50-Over Tempo

There was a lot of talk in the build-up to Tuesday’s match about England’s lack of 50-over experience. Tom Banton, for instance, has played one List A match since 2019.

There are fair questions to ask about how England can be an elite ODI team with the current domestic schedule. England were once again bowled out inside 50 overs, which is a consistent issue for this team.

It was Sri Lanka, though, that couldn’t seem to get the right tempo with the bat on a tricky pitch. The top four all faced at least 19 balls, but none of them had a strike rate above 73.68.

England deserve credit for their tight bowling during that phase for the game. It’s also a concerning sign for Sri Lanka that they couldn’t tick over at closer to six an over.

*Odds subject to change – prices accurate at the time of writing*