Sri Lanka chased 322 at Headingley in 2006, and today they need a win there to keep the series alive

England can wrap up the one-day series at Headingley today. They lead 1-0 after beating Sri Lanka by 89 runs at Chester-le-Street on Tuesday, and the second of three matches starts at 12.30pm in Leeds, 5pm in India.

For Sri Lanka it is simple. Lose, and the tour is gone: three Twenty20 defeats and two one-day defeats, with only a dead rubber at The Oval on Sunday left to play.

The Jacks problem

On Tuesday, Will Jacks took 5 for 22 in seven overs of off-spin and Sri Lanka went from a manageable chase to 176 all out. He had also made 46 not out with the bat, which is why England had 265 to defend in the first place.

Mendis put it on his middle order for taking too long to find the boundary, and that is the part Sri Lanka can fix by Thursday afternoon. Pavan Rathnayake’s 13 from 23 balls was the clearest example. Charith Asalanka, lbw to Jacks missing a sweep, was the other.

There is some good news for them. Sachindu Colombage, the 28-year-old leg-spinner handed his first international call-up for this tour, took 3 for 44 on debut and had Joe Root and Jos Buttler among his wickets. Dunith Wellalage’s 45 from 36 balls was the only innings of the chase played at a real tempo.

Headingley has been good to Sri Lanka before

Sri Lankan fans of a certain age will remember 1 July 2006. England made 321 for 7 on this ground, with Marcus Trescothick scoring 121, and Sri Lanka chased it down for the loss of two wickets with 75 balls to spare. Sanath Jayasuriya made 152 off 99 balls and Upul Tharanga 109, the pair put on 286, and Sri Lanka finished the series 5-0.

Jayasuriya’s 152 is still the highest one-day international score at Headingley. It is also a reminder of what the ground can do when the sun is out. More ODIs here have been won by the side batting second than by the side batting first, and the forecast for Leeds today is dry and bright.

What England are looking at

England have little reason to change much. Harry Brook’s 67 on Tuesday was the top score of the match, Root made 44 before Colombage bowled him, and Josh Tongue had Pathum Nissanka caught behind for 27. The one worry was the wobble in the middle, when 182 for 4 became 199 for 6 and Jacks had to rescue the innings.

Brook said afterwards that it “wasn’t the easiest of surfaces” and that he wants a side that can adapt. Chester-le-Street was low and slow and it turned. Headingley in dry weather could give both sides something truer to bat on, and that takes a little away from Sri Lanka’s spinners.

For Sri Lanka, 2006 is a nice memory and a long time ago. They need their top four to bat past the 30th over and they need someone to take Jacks on. Do both, and there is a decider at The Oval on Sunday.

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