England v Sri Lanka: Deciding third ODI under way after Sri Lanka's fightback at Headingley

Series tied ahead of the finale

England and Sri Lanka are playing the decisive third match of their three-game one-day international series at The Oval in London. England won the first ODI at Chester-le-Street by 89 runs, while Sri Lanka claimed a surprise 16-run win in the second match at Headingley, levelling the series 1-1.

Buttler's dramatic innings at Headingley

In the second ODI, Sri Lanka posted 321-6 from their 50 overs, with captain Kusal Mendis scoring a century — listed as 121 in BBC's scorecard, though the article's text refers to 122, so the exact figure varies even within the same report — and Kamindu Mendis adding 54, while Rehan Ahmed took 2-48. Chasing 322, England were set up by a 143-run opening stand between Tom Banton and Ben Duckett, before Jos Buttler struck five sixes off Sri Lanka's spinners to push England towards the target. However, with 68 needed from 75 balls, Buttler retired hurt on 67 after tweaking his hamstring. He returned when 27 were needed from 14 balls but, barely able to run, eventually holed out at deep midwicket. According to BBC, England's final total is given inconsistently within the same article — as 305-9 in one place and 306-9 in another. Sri Lanka won by 16 runs. Both Banton (73) and Duckett (67) fell to the same left-arm spinner, whose name is spelled differently between the sources — the Guardian calls him Dunith Wellalage, BBC calls him Dinuth Wellalage — who finished with 3-49. Joe Root made just 15, and captain Harry Brook was out lbw for 1, both dismissed by the same bowler.

As BBC reports, England captain Harry Brook said afterwards: "It is always disappointing when you lose... Sri Lanka played exceptionally well there, especially the last 10-15 overs." The win was a significant morale boost for Sri Lanka, whose tour had otherwise been difficult, having lost the T20 series 3-0 and been beaten by 89 runs in the first ODI.

Third match already in progress

According to the Guardian's live coverage, England won the toss in the decider at The Oval and chose to bat first, reportedly because the pitch was very dry. The start did not go to plan, however — Ben Duckett was bowled for 0 by Dilshan Madushanka. Tom Banton then attacked positively, while Joe Root struggled to rotate the strike and was dropped on 15 when Pathum Nissanka failed to hold a chance in a wide slip position. As of the latest update, England were 68-1 after 15 overs, with Banton on 49 and Root on 18. Jos Buttler, still recovering from the hamstring injury sustained at Headingley, was left out of England's side for the decider — leaving Root as the only player in the England XI with more than 50 international caps.