Brook leads from the front as England hammer Sri Lanka in 1st T20

SOUTHAMPTON: England captain Harry Brook hailed a "near-perfect" performance after his blistering unbeaten century paved the way for a 119-run thrashing of Sri Lanka in the first Twenty20 international at Southampton on Tuesday.

Brook's 114 not out and a typically dashing 80 from former captain Jos Buttler powered England, to a commanding total of 254-4 after they shared a stand of 128 in just 60 balls.

This was the 27-year-old Brook's first hundred in 18 international innings in all formats – since the World Cup win against Pakistan in February – and England's joint second-fastest in T20s.

Faced with a huge chase, Sri Lanka were never in the hunt, the tourists dismissed for 135, with Sonny Baker, on his Hampshire home ground, taking a miserly 3-12 – the fast bowler's first wickets in white-ball internationals – in his maximum four overs.

Victory put England, second in the T20 world rankings, 1-0 up in a three-match series.

"An exceptional performance and I am proud of how the boys went about every aspect of the game tonight," said Brook, who just days earlier was a member of the England Test side that completed a 3-0 whitewash of Pakistan.

"It is not the ideal schedule but we managed to mentally prepare for this game and this series," said Brook, adding: "I thought the performance tonight was near-perfect."

- 'Tough day' -

Sri Lanka captain Charith Asalanka, who won the toss and fielded, made no attempt to hide from a "tough day out here for us."

"Credit to Harry Brook and Jos Buttler for their exceptional innings," he said. "At the same time, I don't think we pulled off our plans and execution."

England's second-wicket pair again ran riot at the Rose Bowl after their mammoth partnership of 233 in a 56-run T20 win over India in July, when Buttler made 131 and Brook was 95 not out.

On Tuesday, it was Brook who posted a century, his second in T20 internationals coming off just 42 balls, including eight fours and six sixes.

This match was England's first since former captain Kevin Pietersen, an outstanding batsman in his own right, joined a white-ball coaching set-up still led by sacked Test boss Brendon McCullum as a "special mentor."

And Pietersen would have admired the way Brook smashed six boundaries off left-arm spinner Dunith Wellalage in a fifth over costing 30 runs as Sri Lanka's attack wilted under England's assault.

Sri Lanka lost dangerman Pathum Nissanka early in their chase when he tried to launch off-spinner Will Jacks over mid-on only to be caught by the towering Jamie Overton.

Baker, effectively replacing the rested Jofra Archer, then clean bowled Kamil Mishara before having Lahiru Udara was caught off a scoop to leave Sri Lanka struggling at 32-3.

"Sonny has been bowling extremely well and he deserved his opportunity tonight," said Brook.

The series moves on to Cardiff on Thursday before finishing at Old Trafford on Saturday, with England and Sri Lanka then involved in a three-match one-day international campaign. - AFP