Less than a month after reversing his ODI retirement, Ben Stokes set a new England record with a blistering 182 against New Zealand.
Stokes, playing just his third 50-over match since agreeing to return for next month’s World Cup defence, was in brutal form as he unloaded nine sixes and 15 fours during a devastating 124-ball innings.
He broke the record in typically emphatic fashion, clobbering Ben Lister high over long-on for a maximum, with previous holder Jason Roy emerging on the balcony to show his appreciation alongside a sold out Kia Oval crowd.
Roy, absent from the XI having suffered back spasms, has sat on top of the pile for more than five years with a cracking 180 in Melbourne but now slides into second place following Stokes’ explosive knock.
His efforts carried England to a formidable total of 368, but England tailed off at the end of the innings and were surprisingly bowled out with 11 balls unused.
Stokes, who at one stage looked intent on becoming the first Englishman to make a double century, came to the crease in just the third over with the score at 13 for two and did not depart until the 45th. By then the total had had moved to 348, more than half of which came off his bat.
He was excellent against extremes of pace, facing down Lockie Ferguson at 94mph and punishing him repeatedly before blasting spinner Rachin Ravindra out of the attack with three sixes in two overs.
This was not only the biggest of his four ODI tons but the fastest too, one quicker than his 77-ball hundred against South Africa six years ago.
If there was one down side it was the familiar sight of Stokes occasionally wincing in pain as his chronic knee problems reappeared.
Stokes has taken a calculated gamble that he can manage the condition, but it was apparent that a six-week post-Ashes break has not resolved the matter.
While Stokes’ innings rightly dominated proceedings, Dawid Malan’s 96 was notable in its own right.
Malan is one of the players whose spot has come under scrutiny should England opt to parachute Harry Brook into the World Cup squad, but he was at his controlled best as he joined Stokes in a 199-run stand for the third wicket.
Malan, rejoining the side after the birth of his son, deserved a ton of his own but was unfortunate to get a thin edge on a Trent Boult delivery that had originally been called wide by the umpire.
Boult finished with five for 51, escaping most of the worst punishment doled out by Stokes and striking at both ends of the innings.
He had Jonny Bairstow caught at square leg off the very first ball of the match and then saw Joe Root drag on to continue a lean series for the number three as the Kiwis started strongly.
Salt century gives England winning start to West Indies T20 series
Phil Salt hit a superb century as England drew first blood in their T20 series against West Indies, with a commanding eight-wicket victory at the Kensington Oval.
Salt's unbeaten 103 off 54 balls was the highlight for the tourists, who successfully chased down their target of 183 with 19 balls to spare.
The West Indies endured a difficult start and were reduced to 18-3 and later 117-8, with Saqib Mahmood (4-34) and Adil Rashid (3-32) doing the damage.
However, the hosts managed 65 runs in the last 5.2 overs to finish at 182-8, with Gukadesh Motie knocking 33 off 14 balls along the way.
Salt kick-started England's chase with 50 off just 25 deliveries taking them to 73-1 after six overs, with Will Jacks (17) dismissed with the final ball of the powerplay.
Jos Buttler's first match after four months out lasted just three minutes, as the skipper was caught by Motie for a golden duck.
However, it proved a false dawn for West Indies, with Salt and Jacob Bethall (58 from 36 balls) safely steering England to victory.
Data Debrief: Salt completes hat-trick of hundreds as Bethell makes historic half-century
England put their disappointing ODI series behind them, making history with the highest T20 chase at the Kensington Oval.
Salt was the hero with his third T20I century, all of which have come against West Indies in the past 12 months.
Bethell also made history on Saturday. Aged 21 years and 17 days, he become the youngest England player to score a 50 in a T20I.
Asalanka leads Sri Lanka to ODI series win over West Indies
Sri Lanka wrapped up the ODI series against the West Indies with a five-wicket victory in Pallekele.
The hosts successfully chased down their opponents' total of 189, giving them an unassailable 2-0 in the three-match series.
Sri Lanka controlled the early powerplay - Asitha Fernando (3-35) and Maheesh Theekshana (3-25) took two wickets apiece to leave the tourists at 31-4 in the ninth over.
Wanindu Hasaranga (4-40) then claimed three of his four wickets as Roston Chase, Romario Shepherd, Hayden Walsh and Alzarri Joseph were all dismissed in the space of 14 balls.
However, Sherfane Rutherford (80 off 82 balls) and Gudakesh Motie (50 not out) steadied the ship to take the Windies from 58-8 to 189.
Although Joseph claimed Avishka Fernando (9) in the fourth over, Nishan Madushka and Sadeera Samarawickrama both chipped in with contributions of 38 to get the hosts to 112-4.
Skipper Charith Asalanka (62 not out) led the charge thereon, while Kamindu Mendis (11) comfortably got them over the line with 34 balls remaining.
Data Debrief: Rutherford-Motie historic stand proves academic for tourists
West Indies were looking to level the series, but their hopes were not aided by Sri Lanka's impressive bowling.
Rutherford and Motie did their best. Their partnership brought 119 runs, which is their nation's highest ninth-wicket stand in ODI history, breaking the previous record of 85 between Yannic Cariah and Alzarri Joseph.
However, it ultimately proved in vain as the hosts secured the series with a game to spare.
'I was a tired, grumpy old man' - Stokes apologised to England team-mates after Pakistan defeat
Ben Stokes says he apologised to his England team-mates after his frustrations were evident during the second-Test defeat by Pakistan.
The hosts levelled the three-Test series on Thursday after wrapping up a 152-run win in Multan.
However, it could have been a different story but for fielding errors at crucial stages for the visitors, Jamie Smith and Joe Root notably dropping catches to dismiss Salman Agha, whose subsequent knock of 63 helped Pakistan seal victory with a day to spare.
Stokes, who returned to action following a hamstring injury, could not hide his frustration during a difficult day for England, but insisted he would not let his emotions get the better of him again.
"No one means to drop catches, but it just proves how important catches are in these subcontinent conditions, they don't come along that often," he told Sky Sports.
"I actually apologised to the group last night. It's the first time in my captaincy that I've let my emotions and how I was feeling with the way the game was unfolding show in my body language.
"I owned up to that and was very annoyed at myself for letting that out. It's something that I don't want to do or be seen to be doing, so I apologised to the group about that.
"Poor old me, I was a tired, grumpy old man last night! You won't see that happen again."
However, England coach Brendon McCullum defended the actions of his skipper.
"We all know how passionate Ben is, how much it means for him to play for England," he said.
"We've seen that through his bloody-mindedness to get back from injury, which was significant, and to do so in a nine-week timeframe and to have his first TM [Test match] in extreme conditions, 40 degrees, and be able to give what he gave to the side.
"I think, maybe, that's where some of that frustration led to - certainly, it wasn't directed at any of the players. It was more about trying to assess the rhythm of the game, and to impact on it."
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