by Our Sports Desk

CHRIS JORDAN produced an irresistible spell as England’s bowlers returned fire on Sri Lanka in a smash-and-grab 10-wicket win to re-establish their one-day series lead.

Only three days ago in Durham, England were collapsing to 99 all out and one of their heaviest one-day international defeats but at Old Trafford, they hustled Sri Lanka out for 67, their third-lowest score in this format.

Alastair Cook and Ian Bell then made necessarily short work of the chase, with rain threatening, in a match which lasted only 36.1 overs altogether.

Cook, back from the groin strain which ruled him out at Durham, simply won the toss under heavy cloud cover and then unleashed James Anderson and Jordan — who finished with a career-best five for 29.

James Tredwell joined in, sharing four for 12 with Anderson, and only Harry Gurney was wicketless as the tourists collapsed in 24 overs.

Anderson quickly shifted the openers and first-change Jordan ripped the heart out of the rest of the Sri Lanka batting — both with the help of Jos Buttler’s four catches behind the stumps.

The tourists then lost their last six wickets for nine runs, in decidedly awkward but not insurmountable conditions after bad weather caused a slightly delayed start and necessitated the use of floodlights almost throughout.

Jordan was the star of the show, as he had been in England’s opening victory — with bat as well as ball on that occasion — at The Oval last week.

Sri Lanka were soon 13 for two, Tillakaratne Dilshan departing to a very good delivery from Anderson which cut into him to take the inside edge for a neat catch by Buttler.

Lahiru Thirimanne then succumbed at the same score, having gone up the wicket to wellie a short ball but got a thin edge instead.

Kumar Sangakkara edged behind an attempted drive at Jordan to go for what would prove Sri Lanka’s highest individual score, 13, then Dinesh Chandimal poked a catch to cover off the same bowler.

The wicket of Mahela Jayawardene was still going to be key, however, and it was Tredwell who got it with his first delivery trapping the veteran batsman lbw.

Captain Angelo Mathews was then caught-behind driving at Jordan to kickstart the terminal collapse.

The game was surely up already, unless more rain moved in to rob England.

England openers Cook and Bell were therefore not going to waste any time, after just a 10-minute innings break.

For England the only threat was from the weather but Bell sealed victory with a straight six off Rangana Herath to make it 2-1 with two to play.