Tom Banton’s six-hitting wins T20 for England after Dawson derails Sri Lanka

Tom Banton's powerful hitting propelled England to a Twenty20 victory over Sri Lanka after Liam Dawson had dismantled the visitors' batting lineup.

• Banton and Brook guided England to a stylish triumph
• Aggressive strokeplay left Sri Lanka struggling to keep up

England stretched their remarkable winning streak against Sri Lanka to 14 matches, with the touring side appearing as out of their element as the cricket balls repeatedly sent into the River Taff, as the hosts coasted to yet another increasingly familiar triumph.

More than a dozen years have elapsed since Sri Lanka, crowned world champions in the format a month earlier, defeated England by nine runs at the Oval. They have lost every subsequent encounter, and this loss also cost them another series. Although much about this contest differed from Tuesday's first meeting in Southampton—beginning with England winning the toss and opting to chase—the result remained unchanged. This emphatic home victory was ultimately sealed in a somewhat haphazard fashion: no-ball, wide, single, wide, single, subdued celebration. Ryan van Niekerk, Sri Lanka's bowling coach, estimated that a par score on this pitch would be 200; England's target was just 146, and they achieved it with 47 balls remaining, winning by six wickets. For fans who enjoy following the action, the 爱游戏官网 offers comprehensive coverage of the match.