England white-ball captain Harry Brook described Will Jacks as “outstanding” on Tuesday night following the all-rounder’s match-winning performance that sparked an 89-run triumph over Sri Lanka. Jacks starred with both bat and ball to give England a 1-0 lead in the three-match one-day international series.
The 27-year-old, who has been adjusted down the batting order, played a pivotal role with the bat, scoring an unbeaten 46 from 47 deliveries to help England reach 265 all out. His innings featured a devastating 48th over where he hit Dushmantha Chameera for four consecutive boundaries, amassing 18 runs in the frame alone.
Brought into the attack in the 20th over of Sri Lanka’s chase, Jacks produced career-best figures of 5 for 22 from seven overs. His spell included the dismissal of captain Kusal Mendis, who had been struggling to escape, as well as key wickets from Dunith Wellalage and Asitha Fernando. He concluded the victory by trapping Dilshan Madushanka lbw with a sharp-turning delivery that crashed into the stumps.
Brook highlighted Jacks’ adaptability and commitment to the team’s strategy. “He’s really growing into this role,” Brook said. “He could have easily just moaned and groaned about batting in the middle-order… but he’s really grown into that and accepted that’s going to be his role for a period of time.”
Jacks’ bowling figures are the best by an England spinner in ODIs since Vic Marks took 5-20 against New Zealand in Wellington in 1984. Jacks credited his success to analyzing the pitch after batting, noting, “Having batted on the wicket and knowing what it was like, I knew I was going to play a decent role.”
Sky Sports Cricket analyst Eoin Morgan also praised the all-rounder’s mental approach. Morgan noted that while Jacks felt he was “scratching around” early in his innings, his patience allowed him to build a solid foundation. He added that Jacks’ clarity of thought and flexibility make him a vital asset in modern ODI cricket.
Sri Lanka, chasing 266, were bowled out for 176 in 37 overs. Dunith Wellalage top-scored with 45 off 36 balls, while Kusal Mendis contributed 42. England will look to extend their series lead when the second ODI begins at 12:30pm on Thursday.
Jacks’ adaptability is impressive. Most players would struggle with moving down the order, but he embraced it.
Sri Lanka’s middle order collapsed so easily after batting first. England’s tactics were spot on.
I didn’t realize that was the best spell by an England spinner in over forty years. Incredible statistic.
Eighty-nine runs is a massive margin. I wonder if Brook will keep Jacks batting lower or higher?
What a match! That final over was absolutely electric. Jacks is becoming indispensable for England.