Will Jacks and Jofra Archer excel with ball as England secure win over Sri Lanka

Will Jacks and Jofra Archer papered over England’s batting cracks at the T20 World Cup as a superb bowling display saw them continue their stranglehold over Sri Lanka in Pallekele.

Having scraped through the first group stage, England captain Harry Brook wanted his side to turn over a new leaf in the Super 8s but they could only make 146 for nine, buttressed by opener Phil Salt’s 62.

Jacks, with 21, was the only other England batter to pass 20 but he claimed three for 22 with the ball, while Archer collected two top-order wickets, as Sri Lanka collapsed in the powerplay and lost by 51 runs.

Jacks, handed a rare opportunity with the new ball, exploited the grip in the surface that allowed spin colleagues Liam Dawson and Adil Rashid to also prosper, taking two wickets each as Sri Lanka were all out for 95 in 16.4 overs.

This was a 12th successive T20 win over Sri Lanka for England, having swept them 3-0 at the same venue in the last month, and while they took a major leap towards the semi-finals, some questions remain.

Their top order once again largely underwhelmed as they slipped to 68 for four off 10 overs after Brook lost at the toss following eight consecutive wins, with Jos Buttler’s lean run continuing as he made a torturous seven off 14 balls, his third consecutive single-figure score.

His opening partner had failed to make it out of the powerplay in this tournament but he propped up England’s innings with a mature innings before running out of steam towards the end of his knock and looking like he was battling cramp.

While Salt set the scene for a score of substance by hammering an early six, Buttler was all at sea against pace then spin and he was put out of his misery when he missed a reverse sweep off slow left-armer Wellalage, not even bothering to review the lbw verdict.

Bethell’s hack off mystery spinner Theekshana skewed off his leading edge to Madushanka, while Banton took on Dasun Shanaka’s throw from mid-off, losing the battle following a direct hit despite a desperate dive.

Brook was a livewire but was beaten on the inside edge by Wellalage and given leg-before. England’s captain was earlier welcomed with a 90mph snorter by Dushmantha Chameera, whose 72mph slower ball was mistimed to Kamil Mishara in the deep.

With Salt still there, England had hope but he looked increasingly tired and despite easing Chameera over the rope, an attempt to do so off Wellalage only found the safe hands of Dushan Hemantha.

Jacks bailed England out of trouble against Italy last time out and he flickered here without much lower-order support, seemingly leaving Sri Lanka in the driving seat for their chase under lights.

But after Pathum Nissanka, whose unbeaten century effectively knocked Australia out, slugged Archer to Jamie Overton on the leg-side rope, Sri Lanka’s top-order unravelled drastically to leave them 34 for five following the powerplay, with Jacks at the forefront as he shared new-ball duties.

Jacks had two in two when Kusal Mendis limply prodded back to the off-spinner and Pavan Rathnayake inexplicably charged at his first ball and mowed uppishly to Banton before Archer found Mishara’s edge, with Overton taking a fine low catch in the ring.

Jacks had his third when Dunith Wellalage heaved to Brook, who took a fine catch over his head, and from there England did not look back.

Kamindu Mendis offered a simple caught-and-bowled chance to Dawson, while Hemantha knocked the bails off with his bat off Overton. Shanaka made 30 but the writing was on the wall long before he holed out off Rashid, with Banton taking the relay catch after Jacks handed over to him on the rope.

Rashid finished off proceedings, bowling Madushanka, and England can now all but book a last four spot on Tuesday if they beat Pakistan at this venue.