Kusal Mendis's 121 sinks England as Sri Lanka win by 16 runs to level the series

Sri Lanka's captain made his first hundred in England and his bowlers held on through a chase that England had controlled for 35 overs

Kusal Mendis scored 121 and Dunith Wellalage took 3-49 as Sri Lanka beat England by 16 runs at Headingley on Thursday, a first win on a white-ball tour that had brought four straight defeats.

Sri Lanka chose to bat after Kusal won the toss and reached 321 for 6 from their 50 overs. England were well placed at 254 for 4 in the 38th over of the reply before Jos Buttler pulled up with a left hamstring injury and left the field on 67 not out.

England finished on 305 for 9. The three-match series is level at 1-1, with the decider at The Oval on Sunday.

A first hundred in England for the captain

Kusal won the toss in clear weather at Headingley and took first use of a flat surface. His 121 from 100 balls contained 14 fours and three sixes, and was his seventh ODI century but the first he has made in England.

He added 137 for the second wicket with Kamindu Mendis, who made 54 at the top of the order after Pathum Nissanka had gone for 25.

The closing overs belonged to Pavan Rathnayake, whose 48 from 39 balls carried Sri Lanka past 320, with Janith Liyanage making 32. Rehan Ahmed was England's most successful bowler with 2-48.

England's openers make the chase look simple

The reply began at a rate that suggested 322 would not be enough. Ben Duckett and Tom Banton put on 143 for the first wicket without a serious alarm.

Banton made 73 and Duckett 67, and Will Jacks, who had taken a maiden five-wicket haul in the first ODI at Chester-le-Street, followed them with 52.

At 143 without loss in the 22nd over, England needed 179 from the second half of the innings with all ten wickets standing.

Wellalage takes three in 23 balls

The match turned on one spell from Wellalage. The left-arm spinner removed Duckett, then stumped Banton, then had Harry Brook for 1, taking three wickets for 14 runs in 23 deliveries.

England were 157 for 3, and the innings never regained the shape the openers had given it. Wellalage's 3-49 was the difference between the two attacks on a pitch that offered the seamers little.

Buttler's hamstring turns the chase

Buttler rebuilt from there and England were 254 for 4 in the 38th over, needing 68 from 75 balls with six wickets in hand, when he tweaked his left hamstring and retired hurt on 67.

The required rate climbed while he was off the field. He returned with 27 needed from 14 balls, barely able to run a single, and holed out at deep mid-wicket for 69.

England found only one boundary in the last two overs and finished 16 short of the target.

A decider at The Oval

"Sri Lanka played exceptionally well there, especially the last 10-15 overs," England captain Harry Brook said afterwards. "There were plenty of moments in the game we could have been slightly better."

Buttler is a doubt for Sunday, a match England will play with next year's 50-over World Cup in view and with their first-choice wicketkeeper-batter uncertain.

Sri Lanka lost the preceding T20 series 3-0 and the first ODI by 89 runs, and arrive at The Oval with a chance to take a series in England.

Scorecard: Sri Lanka 321 for 6 (Kusal Mendis 121, Kamindu Mendis 54, Pavan Rathnayake 48; Rehan Ahmed 2-48) beat England 305 for 9 (Tom Banton 73, Jos Buttler 69, Ben Duckett 67, Will Jacks 52; Dunith Wellalage 3-49) by 16 runs.

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