Moeen Ali added an explosive 21-ball half-century to his three wickets as England charged into position for a resounding victory over Sri Lanka A to begin their World Cup winter.
Moeen, who learned on the eve of this first warm-up fixture at the Sinhalese Sports Club Ground that he was to replace Alex Hales as Alastair Cook's opening partner, made a remarkable start to his new job.
With 3-29 under his belt already, and after England restricted their hosts to 198 for six in a match reduced to 43 overs per side by overnight rain, Moeen unfurled six fours from the first six legitimate balls he faced as left-armer Vishwa Fernando conceded 25 runs in the over.
Cook had played a maiden to Lahiru Gamage at the other end, but he too soon tucked into the boundary count - and England raced to 92 for none in just 12 overs, Moeen having completed his fifty with a huge six off the spin of Ramith Rambukwella over long-off to add to his 10 fours.
Watch Mo crack six fours in six seconds! All in the first over he faced too! https://t.co/SozNqUO3OM
— England Cricket (@ECB_cricket) November 21, 2014
Opener Kusal Perera’s half-century had given the home innings some substance - and then from 122 for six an unbroken seventh-wicket stand of 76 almost scrambled 200 on a stodgy pitch.
After Sri Lanka A won the toss, Cook had the freedom to ensure all seven of his bowling options were used.
Among them, Moeen and Chris Woakes were the pick – the latter’s concession of 20 from eight wicketless overs made all the more impressive when Fernando proved so expensive with the new ball.
Steven Finn provided England's early breakthrough, with a very good delivery which had Kaushal Silva edging behind on the front-foot defence.
The accurate Woakes had a stifling effect in a new-ball spell of 4-1-3-0.
Even after Perera lofted Moeen over long-on for six off the final ball of the 10th over, the total was still just 28 for one.
Niroshan Dickwella helped Perera add 44 for the second wicket, before a sweep at Moeen resulted in a tumbling catch for James Tredwell at short fine-leg.
Then Moeen made short work of former Sri Lanka one-day international captain Dinesh Chandimal, who pushed forward and edged straight to Cook at leg-slip to go for a duck and give the off-spinner his second wicket in three balls.
Perera was threatening to give England's bowlers a more thorough examination and brought up the hundred, his own 67-ball fifty and a half-century fourth-wicket stand with captain Ashan Priyanjan when he hit his third six - the returning Finn dispatched over long-off.
He ramped an upper-cut straight to third man in Finn's next over, however, and Moeen once again struck almost immediately when Thilina Kandamby made the second duck of the innings - poking a simple catch to cover.
Ben Stokes had a flat-footed Priyanjan edging a wide one behind - and although Jeevan Mendis and Rambukwella batted sensibly together, England bowled well enough in powerplay to keep the situation well under control.