England can take a 2-0 lead here, with two left to play – but with forecast rain already showing its hand, the likelihood was that their chase may be complicated by Duckworth-Lewis calculations.
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England’s seam attack restricted Sri Lanka to 248 for nine, despite three half-centuries, in the third Royal London Series one-day global at Bristol. England leading the series 1-0 would try to capitalize on the lead in this third clash.
Chris Woakes took two wickets with his last two deliveries in his 3-35 and fellow seamer Liam Plunkett had 3-46 to keep England in charge of the series.
The consequent no-result means all is therefore still to play for in the Royal London Series, resuming at The Oval on Wednesday.
Captain Angelo Mathews and his deputy Dinesh Chandimal were both fit as they recover from hamstring niggles.
This time, after his unbeaten career-best 133 two days ago, he went to the batsman’s other extreme when he was out first ball – edging a short one behind from Suranga Lakmal, as he tried to reopen his account off the back foot.
England made one change from the side that won Friday’s second ODI at Edgbaston by 10 wickets, with pace bowling all-rounder Chris Jordan replacing off-spinner Moeen Ali.
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That was the end of a fourth-wicket stand of 80 with Mathews, who later skyed a pull off Jordan to Buttler.
