In-form England will look to maintain their one-day momentum ahead of next year’s World Cup when they take on a Sri Lanka side in disarray in the first of a five-match series at Dambulla on Wednesday.
But Sri Lanka are expected to prove much tougher opposition when a three-Test series begins next month, England’s first for 12 years without their retired opening rock Alastair Cook.
The world’s number one ranked 50-over side, England are favourites despite a historically poor record on the island.
England beat India 2-1 in July to record their eighth consecutive bilateral ODI series win with just a loss in a one-off match against Scotland tarnishing their record over the past 18 months.
Against Australia at Trent Bridge in June, they notched up a 50-over world record score of 481 as Alex Hales blasted 147 and Jonny Bairstow 139.
“We still have a long way to go,” England’s ODI captain Eoin Morgan said, with the World Cup just eight months away.
“It’s taken us three and a half years to get to where we are, but I think we’re getting to the most important part of what we’ve been planning towards.”
The hosts are still reeling from the axing of captain Angelo Mathews after a dismal run of 30 losses in their last 40 ODIs including defeats to Bangladesh and Afghanistan in last month’s Asia Cup.
Sri Lanka’s new captain Dinesh Chandimal missed the Asia Cup and the preceding ODI series against South Africa due to injury and suspension but struck 77 in a practice match against England in Colombo on Friday.
