England vs Sri Lanka ODI Preview & Tips - England to bounce back with ODI win over struggling Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka were also ousted by Pakistan in their tri-series opener as they were beaten by 37 runs in a frustrating start to the competition. 

With the ball, it was Sonny Baker (3/65) and Gus Atkinson (2/35) that did the damage, but they were unable to stop Pakistan from battling to what looked a very competitive score of 302/9. In reply, Tom Banton (57) and Ben Duckett (45) started well, but Banton's wicket proved key as England went from 120/1 to 177/5. The usually so sure Joe Root (33) was removed fairly cheaply while Harry Brook (five) played all around an Arafat Minhas delivery. 

England will now have to find a way to learn from their stunning 87-run loss to Pakistan as both their batting and bowling units struggled. Tom Banton looked assured for his 57, and that made his wicket seem like even more of a gift as he slapped a Minhas delivery straight down the throat of Shaheen Afridi. 

Banton has impressed against Sri Lanka this year, scoring 10, 73 and 126, and I back him to surge to another good score as he leads England to a much-needed win. 

In the field to start, Sri Lanka had Pakistan teetering at 118/4, but they could not get rid of Salman Ali Agha (107), as he proved the foundation of their excellent score of 305 all out. With the bat, Sri Lanka struggled. Pavan Rathnayake's 79 was a very good score, but no player could provide the same sort of base Salman Ali Agha supplied for the home team. 

While their 37-run loss was hardly embarrassing, Sri Lanka will have known the writing was on the wall with the score at 210/5 as their top scorer departed. Now, like England, Sri Lanka have to find a way to learn from their defeat, and quickly. 

The worry for Sri Lanka will be that they have lost four of their last five against England, while the last time the pair played, England cruised to a 223-run win. While Sri Lanka will feel they have every chance of taking advantage of England's poor result against Pakistan, I do not see them triumphing in this one as they are handed consecutive defeats.