Norfolk's Olly Stone is making a late case to be included in England's World Cup squad admitted skipper Eoin Morgan.

Eastern Daily Press: England's Eoin Morgan raises his bat scoring a half century during their second one-day international cricket match with Sri Lanka in Dambulla. Picture: PAEngland's Eoin Morgan raises his bat scoring a half century during their second one-day international cricket match with Sri Lanka in Dambulla. Picture: PA (Image: Copyright 2018 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)

The 25-year-old former Thorpe St Andrew pupil took the wicket of Niroshan Dickwella with a fearsome delivery to help England take a 1-0 series lead over Sri Lanka.

Morgan admitted he had been impressed by the pace of the former Vauxhall Mallards man.

'I don't think you can disregard Olly from the World Cup based on today,' said Morgan, who made 92 in the tourists' 278-9 in the second one-day international as England won by 31 runs on Duckworth-Lewis-Stern when the rain came during Sri Lanka's innings (140-5).

'The fact he bowls with the new ball gives him an extra string to his bow. When a side is doing well it tends to be the case that guys are sitting out who would be in any other team.'

Chris Woakes took three cheap wickets with the new ball and Warwickshire team-mate Stone announced himself at the other end with a stirring spell of pace bowling. Stone was left frustrated after his debut ended in a washout but this time he took the chance to impress.

'They were very impressive. To get early wickets and be in such a commanding position...the bowlers did a great job,' said Morgan.

'Woakes has been doing this for quite a long time, and goes overlooked a lot of the time. He really set the tone and he made a relaxing impression early on for Olly to come in and do what he does.

'Olly bowled exactly like he has in the nets and the warm-up and that's a really good sign; pace, got the ball moving, all done with a very calm head and that's a good sign.'

Stone is highly rated in the England ranks and might already be established in the set-up had he not missed more than a year of cricket while recovering from ruptured cruciate ligaments in his right knee.

His ability to breach 90mph represents a tantalising prospect for selectors and is emerging as a potential bolter for next summer's World Cup squad.

With Mark Wood and the Curran brothers, Sam and Tom, all waiting for their chance in Sri Lanka and the newly-married Liam Plunkett rejoining the squad for the last two games, tough decisions are looming.