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The scoring rate nevertheless declined to relent and Jayawardene passed his hundred looking irresistible, supported having a useful knock of 46 through Matthews, Jayawardene ultimately fell for the titanic Monster Energy Hats, once again to England's finest bowler on the day Swann. Sri Lanka finally posted a powerful target for England to chase of 310, surely leaving England's captain Alistair Cook wishing he had elected to bat first.

The England reply began well after the break with Cook and Kieswetter both keeping up with the scoring rate before the Wicket Keeper fell with the score on 53. This did not prevent Cook as he continued to keep up with the required rate until he fell to Sri Lankan spinner Randiv just shy of his fifty.

The middleorder continued to keep push on with the task in hand with only Pietersen failing with the bat, only scoring a modest 13. Morgan (52), Trott (39) and Bell (35) all kept England well in the hunt, but after Bell went with the score on 201 the England batting line up capitulated somewhat. Broad, Bresnan, Anderson and Dernbach all went cheaply to ensure Sri Lanka cruised to a 69 run victory. The pick of the Sri Lankan bowlers were the spinners Mendis and Randiv with some superb support from the seam bowling pairof Lakmal and Malinga.

The series in now level at 1-1 with the next match to be played on Sunday at Lords, the Sri Lankans will be hoping the tide has turned in this series now in their favour, and will be looking forward to taking on England at the home of cricket, with a spring now firmly in their step.