Jacks shows his hand for England

WILL Jacks and Jofra Archer papered over England's batting cracks at the T20 World Cup as a superb bowling display saw them continue their stranglehold over Sri Lanka in Pallekele.

- By DAVID CHARLESWORTH

Will Jacks and England team mates celebrate the dismissal of Dunith Wellalage of Sri Lanka

(Viraj Kothalawala)

Having scraped through the first group stage, England captain Harry Brook wanted his side to turn over a new leaf in the Super 8s but they could only make 146 for nine, buttressed by opener Phil Salt’s 62.

Jacks, with 21, was the only other England batter to pass 20 but he claimed three for 22 with the ball, while Archer collected two top-order wickets, as Sri Lanka collapsed in the powerplay and lost by 51 runs.

Jacks, handed a rare opportunity with the new ball, exploited the grip in the surface that allowed spin colleagues Liam Dawson and Adil Rashid to also prosper, taking two wickets each as Sri Lanka were all out for 95 in 16.4 overs.

This was a 12th successive T20 win over Sri Lanka for England, having swept them 3-0 at the same venue in the last month, and while they took a major leap towards the semifinals, some questions remain.