Ben Duckett and Liam Dawson delivered the standout performances as England beat Sri Lanka by 55 runs in Lahore, although the result came in a dead rubber with Sri Lanka already guaranteed a place in Saturday's tri-series final against Pakistan. England's 386 was enough to set up a consolation victory, but this was more than just a clean finish to the tour: it was also the highest-ever ODI total at the Gaddafi Stadium.
For England, that matters because this trip had already been described as a bizarre one after they lost two games they were expected to win. So while this game did not alter the destination of Sri Lanka, it did at least allow Harry Brook's side to leave on a sharper note after a run-fest that produced a 700-plus game feel from start to finish.
Duckett keeps making the opening count
Duckett's 167 was the defining innings of the match. He anchored England's total and followed a week in which he had made 105 against Pakistan in a low-scoring game, underlining the consistency of a batter who has suddenly turned the top of the order into a real point of strength.
It was also another reminder of how comfortably he has taken to this venue. Duckett had already scored 165 against Australia at the same ground, and this latest effort added a fresh layer to what is becoming a remarkable run of form in Lahore.
England's opening stand of 163 gave the innings a platform, and from there the total kept climbing until it reached 386. In a format where momentum can vanish quickly, Duckett has now twice this week given England the kind of start that lets the rest of the lineup play with freedom.
Dawson gives England control when the chase threatens
If Duckett set the tone with the bat, Liam Dawson helped finish the job with the ball. His four wickets were central to stopping Sri Lanka's chase at 118 runs short of the target, even after Pavan Rathnayake's determined 118 had kept the game alive for a long stretch.
Sri Lanka were chasing 387 and for much of the innings the match retained the feel of a high-scoring thriller. But once Rathnayake fell, England were able to close the door, with Dawson's spell providing the control that the bowling attack needed in a game where margin for error was always going to be tiny.
Harry Brook said he was not getting nervy and praised the clarity of England's plan with the ball. He also said the side had learned a lot from the previous game a couple of days earlier, adding that finishing the contest off in that manner was an exceptional effort.
That is the key point for England. A dead rubber does not usually tell you much about a team's wider standing, but this one did at least show that when they get their batting rhythm right, they can force even a high-class opponent into a near-impossible chase. The concern remains that their tour has been inconsistent, but the positives from Duckett and Dawson were impossible to miss.
For Sri Lanka, the only real concern was whether they could recover enough from the demands of the chase before their final against Pakistan. For England, the bigger lesson is simpler: if their top order fires and their bowlers execute a clear plan, they are still capable of producing a statement total and a convincing finish.
