Jordan leads England to victory over Sri Lanka

LONDON, May 22, 2014 (AFP) - Chris Jordan starred with both bat and ball as England set off on the road to next year's World Cup with a an 81-run win over Sri Lanka in a rain-marred one-day international at The Oval on Thursday.





The Sussex all-rounder's belligerent 38 not out off just 13 balls propelled England to a total of 247 for six in an innings reduced by rain to 39 overs.

And, on his former Surrey home ground, the Barbados-born Jordan took three wickets for 25 runs, including three for three in 12 balls.

Sri Lanka, chasing a target of 226 in 32 overs after a fresh downpour, never recovered and finished on 144 in 27.5 overs when Lasith Malinga was bowled by Ravi Bopara under the Oval floodlights.

England, now 1-0 up in this five-match series, quickly reduced Sri Lanka to 19 for two.

James Anderson struck fifth ball, with Sri Lanka yet to score a run, when he had Lahiru Thirimanne lbw before left-arm paceman Harry Gurney had Kumar Sangakkara playing on for eight.

Sri Lanka were 60 for two, in pursuit of a target of 259 in 39 overs, when rain stopped play for the second time in the match.

Come the resumption, Sri Lanka needed to score at nine an over and, unsurprisingly, lost wickets in the face of