Woakes, Jordan inch England forward

Never mind that England's attack donated another 15 wides and ended up conceding a score that will require the highest successful chase at Pallekele. In a series of creeping, marginal gains, the performances of Chris Woakes and Chris Jordan provided further tentative encouragement that England are inching, however slowly, towards World Cup enlightenment. Or, at least, they are bit further away from "I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue".

Woakes' six-wicket haul was the headline act, while Jordan again bowled impressively before his figures were dented by a couple of farmhand hoicks from Thisara Perera in his final over. The pitch did provide some juice for England's quicks, as expected, though James Tredwell was the most economical bowler and the spin on offer suggested that chasing could yet be hard work when the game resumes on Thursday.

Jordan's comeback and the continued development of Woakes means Steven Finn, who bowled tidily but was still down on pace, will have some competition when it comes to deciding who will join James Anderson and Stuart Broad in England's preferred World Cup pace line-up. If the bowling carries a sharper edge in the more familiar conditions of Australia and New Zealand it should also ease pressure on England's much-harangued batsmen.

Having conceded 73 from 10 wicketless overs during his only ODI in the previous series against India, Jordan played the first tour match in Sri Lanka and saw five overs disappear for 48 in an otherwise comfortable England win. He missed out on the first two one-dayers but has since picked up six wickets at 22.83. His habit of falling away and firing the ball down the leg side appears to have been curbed, if not eradicated.

Woakes, meanwhile, is the leading wicket-taker on either side, with 12. The two bowlers who helped England finish their Test summer on high at The Oval have carried the fight for an inexperienced attack in a part of the world where they have usually been left playing woe-DIs.

This has been a quietly impressive tour for Woakes, which seems in keeping with his character. He goes about his business uncomplainingly, celebrates his successes modestly and is always willing to say hello at practice sessions. And he now has two of the three best sets of bowling figures for England in ODIs.

He is the first Englishman to take six wickets or more in an innings twice and the eighth overall (Waqar Younis did it five times). The first occasion was in Woakes' second appearance and for a long time it looked as if he would chiefly be remembered for failing to live up to the promise of his 6 for 45 in Brisbane almost four years ago. In five other ODIs between January 2011 and January 2013, he managed only one other wicket, with his pace and ability to move the white ball off the straight questioned.

Over the last six months, his progress has been noticeable, if never likely to poke you right in the eye. The speed gun has ticked up towards the high 80s mph and he has developed in pressure situations, bowling nerveless final overs in the NatWest Blast and against the MS Dhoni, the T20 blood god, at Edgbaston.

This haul included Sri Lanka's two champion batsmen, Mahela Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakkara, and an efficient mopping up of the tail. While he dropped a little short and wide during a three-over opening spell, his control improved after switching ends and Jayawardene was tempted by a full delivery in the channel. When he returned late in the innings, Sangakkara was suckered into trying to hit to a leg-side field; his death bowling, varying between short and full, deserved reward, even if there were five wides chucked in.

Like an efficient stain remover or a trusty pair of secateurs, Woakes is the sort of cricketer every household needs. Jordan offers something a little more aspirational, a brushed metal tablet computer with bevelled edges that nevertheless has an annoying habit of losing connection with the wifi. During this long winter of 50-over cricket in foreign climes, England need a few such home comforts.