Wellinton: Joe Root’s century helped England set Sri Lanka an imposing target of 310 in their World Cup Pool A match at Wellington’s Westpac Stadium on Sunday.
Root smashed 121 off 108 balls — becoming his country’s youngest World Cup century-maker — as England reached 309 for six after winning the toss and electing to bat.
Ian Bell also contributed 49 and Jos Buttler was unbeaten on 39 from 27 balls as England posted their highest total of the tournament so far at a ground where New Zealand humiliated them just nine days previously.
The 24-year-old Root, who was dropped on two, beat the England record of David Gower, who was 26 when he posted a hundred against Sri Lanka at Taunton during the 1983 tournament.
England are desperate to defeat a Test nation at this World Cup after being well-beaten by co-hosts Australia (111 runs) and New Zealand (eight wickets) in their opening matches, with their only success so far against minnows Scotland.
Sri Lanka, the 1996 champions and finalists at the past two tournaments, were wayward in the field, with one Thisara Perera over costing 25 runs.
Suranga Lakmal was unable to deliver the last two balls of the innings after being warned twice about dangerous deliveries, with Tillakaratne Dilshan stepping in to complete an over that went for 22.
England made a brisk start as Bell and Moeen Ali combined for a 62-run partnership in the first 10 overs.
Bell looked aggressive clipping successive boundaries off Lasith Malinga but was lucky to survive when he was dropped twice on 17 off the bowling of Lakmal.
There was no such reprieve for Ali (15), who tamely drove a slower ball from Sri Lanka captain Angelo Mathews straight to Lakmal at mid-off.
The out-of-form Gary Ballance lasted only 14 balls before he was dismissed on six, scooping the ball back down the wicket to Dilshan for a smartly taken caught and bowled.
Sri Lanka’s fielding again let them down when a diving Mahela Jayawardene dropped Root on two in the slips.
Bell looked settled and ready for a big total when he dragged a seemingly innocuous Lakmal delivery onto his stumps on 49.
England captain Eoin Morgan holed to Dilshan at point off Perera on 27, leaving Root to anchor the innings with his fourth and highest century in 52 one-day internationals.
Root and James Taylor (25) combined to plunder 25 from a Perera over, with Root hitting three fours and a six. (AFP)
