Historic Series Victory for England

The triumvirate of James Anderson, Alastair Cook and Kevin Pietersen regained their top form to lead England to a historic series victory over Sri Lanka today.  Anderson finished wicketless in the previous three matches in the series, the longest spell without success in his 80-match England career.  Cook entered today's match with only 51 runs from the last six one-day internationals.

Both players, however, emerged from their slumps today to ensure England would complete the five-wicket victory, sealing their first one-day series win in Sir Lanka and their first major series win on the sub-continent in last twenty years.

Pietersen was unbeaten for 63 off 75 balls allowing him to take his highest score of the series and register his most significant win since he became an England player three years ago.  Anderson took three for 33 to help limit Sri Lanka - who won the toss and chose to bat first - to 211 for nine.  It enabled the Lancashire seamer to leapfrog Phil DeFreitas into fourth place in the list of England's leading one-day international wicket-takers.

Essex left-hander Cook will have been similarly relieved to hit a superb 80 off 123 balls having quietly guided England towards the finishing line despite growing calls for him to be replaced at the top of the order.

Overshadowing their individual achievements was the victory itself, which was completed with 19 balls to spare by and England side quickly coming into its own under the leadership of Paul Collingwood.

As they had done in their two previous triumphs in Dambulla, the key to England's triumph was their ability to make early inroads and prevent Sri Lanka's attacking strokeplay from building a major total.

Left-arm seamer Ryan Sidebottom once again made the early breakthrough by tempting Upul Tharanga into a loose drive which was edged to slip in the fourth over.  Then Anderson took over to end his famine - in his 28th over of the series - to remove the dangerous Sanath Jayasuriya with a slower ball he chipped to mid-off.

Four overs later he claimed the crucial wicket of captain Mahela Jayawardene, who was frustrated by the accurate new ball spells of England's attack and attempted to drive over the top only to miscue and get caught at third man.

At 20 for three, Sri Lanka thwarted England's hopes of a far more comfortable triumph with a determined 126-run partnership between wicketkeeper Kumar Sangakkara and Chamara Silva.

Normally one of the most fluent batsmen in world cricket, Sangakkara is another player who has been suffering a crisis of confidence after only one 50 in his last 10 one-day international innings.

What he lacked in timing, however, he compensated for in sheer determination and repaired Sri Lanka's innings by running hard between the wickets to keep the scoreboard ticking over on a slow pitch not conducive to big shots.

However, they fell in the space of two overs - Silva falling for 67 off 101 balls after mistiming an attempted upper cut off Stuart Broad down to third man, before Sangakkara fell to the same bowler pulling to deep midwicket after top-scoring for 69.

The hosts lost five wickets in the last seven overs to leave England again chasing a modest total to secure a famous series win.

Phil Mustard and Ian Bell falling cheaply, which could have proved costly with rain halting play in the next over after their second wicket - but by then England were ahead of the rate and there had been enough overs to constitute a match.

Despite the huge stakes, Cook remained composed throughout and allowed Pietersen to play the more outrageous shots - including a straight six off Lokuarachchi to bring up his half-century off 57 balls - during a profitable 110-run stand spanning 136 deliveries.

With only 18 runs required, however, Cook attempted to cut a Dilhara Fernando delivery which was not short enough and cut onto his stumps to his obvious displeasure. Collingwood was given lbw to the next delivery, but Pietersen saw England home.