sport news Eoin Morgan and Joe Root hit unbeaten half-centuries as England chase down 242 ...

Sam Curran has spent the early years of his England career confirming the stereotype that he 'makes things happen'. On Thursday, he seemed to fulfil a different sporting cliché, more than happy to find himself in the right place at the right time.

At his home ground in south London, in front of a Covid-proofed crowd of 14,000, and with England's footballers between assignments, this was a smart moment to make an impact.

And so, seizing his opportunity, Curran responded with the first five-wicket haul in 47 international appearances as England took apart Sri Lanka for the fifth time in nine days. The tourists look bedraggled, their coach Mickey Arthur ever more exasperated.

By the time Eoin Morgan pulled the winning runs, extending his third-wicket stand with Joe Root to 140, there were seven overs remaining, and a sense that England could have chased many more. Victory on Sunday at Bristol will give them a second 3-0 whitewash to match their T20 triumph, when Curran was Player of the Series.

After the joyless performance of England's Test team against New Zealand, he has personified their limited-overs verve. It's just a pity Sri Lanka look as beatable as at any moment since achieving Test status in the early 1980s.

He took three wickets as the new ball swung, and two more by banging in the older one. And if he was helped by shaky batting, especially from the top three, this was quintessential Curran, adaptable and resourceful. At some point, English cricket will stop being surprised by him.

At the other end, David Willey picked up four for 64, and would have had an equal share of all 10 had any of Dushmantha Chameera's last-over swipes gone to hand. Like Curran, he made profitable use of the short ball against a team who prefer to operate on the front foot.