Sri Lanka have beaten England by six wickets in their ODI series decider at Edgbaston this evening.
Having been set a target of 220 to win by England earlier in the day, Sri Lanka got their run chase off to a blistering start by firing 49 runs off the first six overs.
England’s bowling soon improved, however, and they were rewarded with the wicket of Tillakaratne Dilshan (28), who was caught by Joe Root off James Tredwell.
Kumar Sangakkara, who scored a fine century in the fourth match of the series, came and went for just two runs as he also fell to the bowling of Tredwell, this time Chris Jordan taking a fine catch in the slips.
A third wicket in the space of four overs saw Kusal Perera depart for 19 having been caught LBW, leaving the game very much in the balance.
Mahela Jayawardene and Lahiru Thirimanne steadied the ship for the Sri Lankans with a fine partnership that put the tourists back in control of proceedings, with the former passing his half-century.
England finally broke the partnership in the 39th over as Jayawardene departed for 53, but Thirimanne went on to record a half-century of his own to keep Sri Lanka ahead.
They went into the final two overs needing just six runs, and Angelo Mathews was the man to provide them with back-to-back boundaries to seal the series 3-2 for his side.
