Cricket-Root guides England to win five gates in Sri Lanka in the opening part of the ODI series

(Reuters) – Joe Root celebrated his 150th one-day international appearance in an unbeaten half-century as England claimed a five-port victory over Sri Lanka in a series at its inauguration on Chester-le-Street on Tuesday.

England opener Jonny Bairstow quickly started chasing the 186 goal when England reached 50 interiors in five installments, but soon lost his inaugural partner Liam Livingstone, who cut the Chamika Karunaratne delivery straight into the middle.

Bairstow dropped seven runs in less than half a century after Binura Fernando had bowled him, and the hosts soon dropped to 80-4 when Dushmantha Chameera removed skipper Eoin Morgan (6) and Sam Billings (3) cheaply.

The roots and diverse Moeen Ali (28) together sewed a patient 91 running partnership to stabilize the vessel.

Chameera returned to dismiss Ali, but Root finished with an unbeaten 79, and with Sam Curran made sure there were no more hiccups when England won the 35th match.

CENTERS

Chris Woakes led the English bowling attack with a four-port pull after the depleted Sri Lankan side was bowled to 185 with 7.3 spare.

Woakes, playing his first ODI in nine months, finished an impressive 4-18 of his 10 past as tourists lost their last seven gates in 40 laps.

I am delighted. The way the boys started and continued all the time we were on the field left us in a really good position, Morgan said. Full thanks to the bowling alley today, it really shot.

The Sri Lankan strikers struggled to get big results during the previous 3-0 Twenty20 series defeat to England, and it was no surprise when they crumbled again in the middle.

Tourists arrived at the match without three older players – Kusal Mendis, Niroshan Dickwella and Danushka Gunathilaka – who were all sent home after breaking the bubble protocols.

Captain Kusal Perera made a granular 73 and shared a 99-run fourth gate pedestal with Wanindu Hasaranga to keep England at bay.

The Woakes ended the partnership and began a collapse with Hasaranga (54), who scored deep in Livingstone with a small ball.

Left-handed pacemaker David Willey eliminated Perera on his way to 3-44, the inning ended when Sam Billings finished with Prave’s Jayawickrama with a direct hit.

Hasaranga did a good job for the team, we got a partnership, but not enough, Perera said. But two more games left. Its a team game, we have to get together to get a good score.

The second game in a series of three matches will be played at The Oval on Thursday.