Captain Brook smashes century as England thump Sri Lanka in first T20

[p]Brook's 114 not out and a typically dashing 80 from former captain Jos Buttler powered [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/england/UJC5mtAU/"]England[/a] to a [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/cricket/england-UJC5mtAU/sri-lanka-zahH5UHg/summary/stats/?mid=rT3KMuVa"]commanding total of 254-4[/a].[/p][p]Faced with a huge chase, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/sri-lanka/zahH5UHg/"]Sri Lanka[/a] were never in the hunt before being bowled out for 135 as England, second in the T20 world rankings, went 1-0 up in a three-match series.[/p][p]Buttler and Brook shared a stand of 128 off just 60 balls following the loss of debutant opener Aneurin Donald after Sri Lanka won the toss.[/p][embed guid="4848b3f1-7e6a-4804-8f2c-82dc79b2f1bd" url="https://x.com/englandcricket/status/2099964719721332997" social-type="twitter" /][p]England's second-wicket pair again ran riot at Hampshire's headquarters after their mammoth partnership of 233 in a 56-run T20 win over [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/india/fcOzl2uI/"]India[/a] in July, when Buttler made 131 and Brook 95 not out.[/p][p]On Tuesday, it was Brook who posted a century, his second in T20 internationals coming off just 42 balls, including eight fours and six sixes.[/p][p]Only Phil Salt, with a 39-ball century against the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/west-indies/jTD1lMfO/"]West Indies[/a] at Old Trafford last year, has scored a quicker T20 hundred for England.[/p][p]This match was England's first since former captain Kevin Pietersen, an outstanding batsman in his own right, joined a white-ball coaching set-up still led by sacked Test boss Brendon McCullum as a "special mentor".[/p][p]And Pietersen would have admired the way Brook smashed six boundaries off left-arm spinner Dunith Wellalage in a fifth over costing 30 runs.[/p][embed guid="ea29f827-8d6a-43aa-b3ae-e78655c36111" url="https://x.com/englandcricket/status/2099956399870562650" social-type="twitter" /][p]Dushmantha Chameera and Wellalage's combined seven overs went for 104 runs in total as Sri Lanka's attack wilted under England's assault.[/p][p]Sri Lanka lost dangerman Pathum Nissanka early in their chase when he tried to launch off-spinner Will Jacks over mid-on only to be caught by the towering Jamie Overton.[/p][p]Sonny Baker, on his Hampshire home ground, then took his first wickets in white-ball internationals, clean bowling Kamil Mishara before Lahiru Udara was caught off a scoop to leave Sri Lanka struggling at 32-3.[/p][p]Fast bowler Baker finished with 3-12 in his four overs.[/p][p]The second T20 is in Cardiff on Thursday, with the series finale at Old Trafford on Saturday.[/p]