Banton stars with century as England thrash Sri Lanka to win ODI series

[p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/banton-tom/EPKJkMQ0/"]Banton[/a] scored 126 after [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/england/UJC5mtAU/"]England[/a] chose to ‌bat and laid the foundation for a formidable total of ‌355-7 before dismissing [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/sri-lanka/zahH5UHg/"]Sri Lanka[/a] for a modest ‌132.[/p][p][b]Banton’s innings, which highlighted his expansive range of shots, included five sixes and 16 fours as he mercilessly took ‌to the visiting bowling after fellow opener ⁠Ben [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/duckett-ben/hOqPZak4/"]Duckett[/a] had ‌been castled in the second over.[/b][/p][p]England captain [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/brook-harry/MefSexXu/"]Harry Brook[/a], who ​was dropped when he had seven runs, punished Sri Lanka’s poor fielding display with 77 ​off 66 balls while [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/cox-jordan/z3d3Qyyb/"]Jordan Cox[/a], replacing the injured [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/buttler-joseph/bVycigXQ/"]Jos Buttler[/a], made 76 from 52 balls on ⁠his return to ​the ODI side for the first time in almost two years.[/p][embed guid="7c538abb-5723-48f7-8343-56a4aaa63a7b" url="https://x.com/englandcricket/status/2104239788924809599" social-type="twitter" /][p]England had won the first ODI at Chester-le-Street on Tuesday by 89 runs but lost by 16 ‌runs in Leeds two days later, setting up Sunday’s deciding tie which turned into a [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/cricket/england-UJC5mtAU/sri-lanka-zahH5UHg/?mid=l0NyndbB"]one-sided contest[/a] with Sri Lanka bowled out in 29.1 overs.[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/baker-sonny/bmrBbkNp/"]Sonny Baker[/a] took two balls on his second ODI appearance, one year after his debut, to snag the wicket of [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/nissanka-pathum/jHFbKAPP/"]Pathum Nissanka[/a], who touched one behind to wicketkeeper Cox, beginning a steady stream of dismissals.[/p][p][b]Six of ‌the seven bowlers that England used got among ​the wickets, with [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/dawson-liam/hdqIknKT/"]Liam Dawson[/a] finishing with 3-26 ‌in eight overs and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/atkinson-gus/Aodjczhc/"]Gus Atkinson[/a] taking 2-26 from five overs.[/b][/p][p]Captain [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/mendis-kusal/dWzAIbMj/"]Kusal Mendis[/a], who scored a ton in the second ODI, top-scored for the visitors with 36 as Sri Lanka never looked ⁠like being able to ⁠chase down the imposing ‌target.[/p]