Most of the spin from England during the Ashes came via their off-the-field briefings as they attempted to massage the narrative of a winter tour of discontent.
On a pitch which ragged at the R Premadasa Stadium, however, it was the degrees of turn offered by the ball which provided the focus on this occasion.
In ODIs since the start of 2024, this stadium has seen an average turn of 2.93 degrees. In the 23 bowling innings here in this timeframe, England’s degree of turn today was the fourth-most at this venue.
England managed 3.15 degrees of spin in the first ODI but it was 3.62 here – a 15% increase – which Brook, to his credit, astutely realised was the best way to winkle wickets.
There were 40.3 overs bowled by spinners which was the most by any England bowling attack in an ODI. The previous record was 36 overs, back in March 1985 in a 50-over match against Pakistan in Sharjah.
It was also the first time in an ODI, England have used six different spinners.
Rashid’s leg-breaks were the most masterful as he finished with an economy of 3.40 claiming the key top-order wickets of Sri Lanka opener Pathum Nissanka and captain Charith Asalanka.
But he was well supported by a phalanx of twirlers – offies from Jacks and Root, leggies from Ahmed plus Jacob Bethell’s left-arm orthodox.
Five different spinners picked up a wicket – the joint-most in an ODI innings by a team and first by England.
The seven wickets which fell to spin was the second most by an England attack in an ODI, bettered only by eight against West Indies at North Sound in 2014.
England have longed to have these kind of depth of slow-bowling options on tours of the sub-continent.
