Brook, Buttler go berserk again as England thrash Sri Lanka in first T20

New white-ball mentor Kevin Pietersen watches on as England thrash Sri Lanka for 13th straight T20I win over their opponents; Ben Stokes says Harry Brook's sizzling ton shows he is perhaps better than KP was; England look to seal series victory in Cardiff on Thursday, live on Sky Sports

​​Harry Brook and Jos Buttler went berserk in a T20 at Southampton for the second time this summer as England smoked 254-4 against Sri Lanka during a 119-run win in the series opener - their first game since Kevin Pietersen's appointment as white-ball mentor.

White-ball captain Brook (114no off 49 balls) - who nailed six boundaries in one over - and predecessor in that role Buttler (80 off 44) plundered 128 from just 60 balls in partnership for England's second wicket once debutant Aneurin Donald (12 off 5) fell after slamming a six and a four amid a bright but fleeting cameo.

Brook and Buttler had combined for a riotous stand of 233 from 103 balls at the same venue in July as England romped to a total of 257-3 against India that secured a 4-0 series sweep, with Buttler tonking a century on that occasion and Brook an unbeaten 95.

England 254-4 in 20 overs (put in to bat): Harry Brook (114no off 49 balls), Jos Buttler (80 off 44), Will Jacks (21 off 12); Wanindu Hasaranga (1-34)

Sri Lanka 135 all out in 19 overs (target 255): Dunith Wellelage (33 off 21 balls), Dasun Shanaka (24 off 14), Eshan Malinga (13no off 5); Sonny Baker (3-12), Jamie Overton (2-20), Liam Dawson (2-23) , Will Jacks (1-21)

Watch Thursday's second T20 in Cardiff live on Sky Sports Cricket and Sky Sports Main Event from 6pm (6.30pm first ball).

This time around the roles were reversed with Buttler - playing his first innings since the Hundred final at Lord's on August 16 - missing out on a ton but Brook reaching three figures for the second time in T20 internationals, doing so from just 42 deliveries as he mixed big hits with slick, intense running.

No wonder England legend Pietersen, who scored almost 14,000 runs in all international cricket between 2004 and 2014, was smiling throughout.

That expression continued as Sri Lanka subsided to 135 all out in 19 overs in reply, to suffer a 13th successive defeat to their opponents in this format, stretching back to 2014, and England made it 21 wins from their last 24 T20Is.

The pacey, accurate and economical Sonny Baker bagged 3-12 from four overs, including bowling Kamil Mishara (10) to claim his first white-ball wicket for England, while leg-spin maestro Adil Rashid (1-31) nicked off Dasun Shanaka (24 off 14) with a peach of a delivery having just been belted for back-to-back sixes.

Brook's innings was a joy to watch, with his expert ability to pick up length on full display in the 30-run fifth over of the game when he struck Sri Lankan left-arm spinner Dunith Wellalage for six boundaries in as many deliveries (three sixes, three fours).

Brook's first boundary in that set, a six onto the cushion at long-on, was a little edgy but his next five were sublime - fours over the bowler's head and down to long-on, a scooped six over fine leg, a maximum over long-off and, finally, a four behind point.

Only Phil Salt - missing this series due