England seal T20 series with six-wicket win over Sri Lanka
Tom Banton's unbeaten 52 sealed a six-wicket chase in Cardiff, giving England an unassailable 2-0 lead with one match left at Old Trafford.
England beat Sri Lanka by six wickets in Cardiff to seal the T20 series 2-0 with a match to spare, chasing down 145 for nine with 7.5 overs unused.
Tom Banton finished unbeaten on 52 from 24 balls, with two fours and four sixes, and it was his fifth international T20 fifty and his fastest. The win stretched England's run against Sri Lanka in the format to 14 consecutive victories.
It followed Tuesday's 119-run rout in Southampton, and this one again went one way early. Sri Lanka reached 56 without loss in the powerplay before the innings fell away. Liam Dawson took three for 32, Jamie Overton two for 23, and Sonny Baker conceded just 15 from his four overs.
England hit 10 sixes to Sri Lanka's two. Openers Aneurin Donald and Jos Buttler put on 50 before Donald chipped Eshan Malinga to mid-on for 21. Buttler became the first player to reach 15,000 T20 runs during his stay, then holed off Dushmantha Chameera for 30 from 16 balls. Harry Brook, fresh from his unbeaten 114 on the south coast, took three sixes off Wanindu Hasaranga before falling for 23 to a sprawling catch in the deep. Jordan Cox added 12 before Banton closed it out.
Jofra Archer came in for Josh Tongue, the only change to England's side. Donald, a Derbyshire batter who qualifies through Wales, won his second cap on home soil as the first Glamorgan product to play T20 cricket for England.
The third and final match follows on Saturday at Old Trafford, with the series already decided.
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