England v Sri Lanka: Nat Sciver-Brunt's sublime century secures ODI series win

Nat Sciver-Brunt scored England women's fastest one-day international century as the hosts thrashed Sri Lanka by 161 runs to secure a 2-0 series victory.

Sciver-Brunt surpassed Charlotte Edwards' 70-ball effort by reaching the milestone from 66 balls in Leicester.

In a rain-affected encounter, England posted an imposing 273-8 from their 31 overs, with Maia Bouchier adding 95.

Charlie Dean then took 5-31 and Lauren Filer claimed 3-30 as Sri Lanka were bowled out for 112 off 24.5 overs.

After the hosts slipped to 18-2, Sciver-Brunt and Bouchier led an emphatic recovery by adding 193 together from just 121 balls - England's highest ODI partnership against Sri Lanka.

Sciver-Brunt, standing in as captain in her 100th ODI in the absence of the unwell Heather Knight, smashed her third ODI century in her last four innings before falling for 120 off just 74 deliveries.

Sri Lanka buckled under the pressure of attempting to pull off their highest ODI chase, with England bouncing back strongly from their shock T20 series defeat.

England understandably rested Sciver-Brunt for the T20 series after a busy summer, but she left a clear void as England's batters struggled, particularly against Sri Lanka's spinners.

Sri Lanka's bowling was poor here, the gulf in class between the sides in the longer format glaring, but Sciver-Brunt provided her team-mates with a masterclass in how to play spin.

Despite England being in early trouble, her century had an air of inevitability as she scored fluently from the off, striking ferocious pull shots off the back foot and glorious lofted straight drives.

Sciver-Brunt hit 18 fours and one six in her magnificent knock, beating former captain Edwards' record set against New Zealand in 2012 with a nudge off her pads to also complete her eighth ODI century.

Bouchier, who brought up her maiden ODI fifty, impressively kept up with Sciver-Brunt's scoring as she targeted her favourite area down the ground and walloped two huge sixes over mid-wicket.

She even had a chance of breaking the record Sciver-Brunt had set just minutes earlier, only to be pinned lbw by Kavisha Dilhari five runs short of a century from her 65th ball faced.

Still, the Southern Brave batter has laid down a marker for a more permanent role in England's top order in the absence of the rested Danni Wyatt and the injured Emma Lamb.

Middle-order batter Bess Heath, who can also keep wicket, made her England debut and added a sprightly cameo of 21 from 14 balls.

Off-spinner Dean can often go under the radar, playing alongside the world's best white-ball bowler in Sophie Ecclestone, but here she shone in the injured slow left-armer's absence.

Sri Lanka's task was always going to require something miraculous, and their hopes lay on the shoulders of captain Chamari Athapaththu.

Dean's first two overs were expensive but the crucial scalp of Athapaththu, pinned lbw for 12, sparked a stunning spell that included three wickets in one over.

Sri Lanka's reliance on Athapaththu can work for them in T20, as they proved in the 2-1 victory over England, but that rarely brings success in the 50-over format where teams' skills are tested for longer.

Dean deceived the middle order with smart variations of pace, also extracting a hint of turn from the pitch to finish with her first international five-wicket haul.

Filer also continued to impress with her pace, while Mahika Gaur and Sarah Glenn chipped in with a wicket each.

Despite the heavy defeat, Sri Lanka will leave the tour in good spirits having shown massive improvements in T20s - achieving a result in that series few would have precited before the tour began.

Player of the match, England stand-in captain Nat Sciver-Brunt: "I'm really happy to have batted the way I did and continue that form I had against Australia.

"It's been brilliant to see the young players come in and make such an impact in their first outings. Lauren Filer's pace is so exciting and we want to harness that as much as possible."

England head coach Jon Lewis on Sky Sports: "Nat Sciver-Brunt played brilliantly. It was a very well-calculated partnership and very controlled.

"Someone asked me during the T20 series what we would miss about Nat Sciver-Brunt and it was just that, the control and calmness in the middle that settles everyone else around her.

"We have been working really hard with Charlie [Dean] on her consistency and her execution and she is a beautiful off-spin bowler. I don't think there's another off-spinner in the world that can do it as well as she does when it comes out right."

Sri Lanka captain Chamari Athapaththu: "Tough conditions and a tough day at the office We need to improve our batting, shot selection and be patient in this format. We can't blame the conditions and have to be fearless every time."

England all-rounder Georgia Elwiss on BBC's Test Match Special: "It is frightening how good Nat Sciver-Brunt is. It's just what we have come to expect from her, and she makes it look so easy."