Hosts hold up England progress

Needing victory in today's match to ensure the series is still alive in Saturday's finale, Sri Lanka slumped into trouble at 20 for three despite winning the toss and deciding to bat first.

But out-of-form wicketkeeper Kumar Sangakkara teamed up with Chamara Silva in a defiant 80-run stand to help Sri Lanka reach a respectable 100 for three after 30 overs and restore their hopes of setting a competitive target on a slow pitch in energy-sapping heat.

Sangakkara, who has scored only one half-century in his past 10 one-day international innings and averaged only 17.80 during that period, looked desperately out of form at the start of his innings.

He gradually grew in confidence, however, and with Silva hitting boundaries off Stuart Broad and off-spinner Graeme Swann they were able to bring up their half-century partnership off just 85 balls.

Sri Lanka's early troubles had been caused by accurate new-ball spells from Ryan Sidebottom and James Anderson, who finally broke his barren spell in the series without a wicket. The Lancashire seamer had struggled to make his mark during the first three matches in Dambulla and looked set to extend his poor run, which was already the longest of his England one-day career.

His first ball of the match did not bode well when opener Upul Tharanga seized on a leg-side delivery to clip to fine leg for the first boundary of the day. Tharanga's innings was brought to an abrupt halt, however, three overs later when left-arm seamer Sidebottom tempted him into driving outside off-stump and edging to Owais Shah at first slip.

It took Anderson until his fourth over - and his 28th over of the series - before he finally made his own breakthrough with Sanath Jayasuriya deceived by a slower ball he attempted to hit over the top but instead picked out Kevin Pietersen at mid-off.

Four overs later Anderson claimed his second victim and strengthened England's dominant position when captain Mahela Jayawardene, frustrated at his failure to keep the scoreboard ticking over, went on the offensive.

Tied down from both ends by England's accurate new-ball attack, Jayawardene resolved to try and hit Anderson over the top but mistimed his stroke and the ball flew high in the air for Stuart Broad to take a diving catch at third man.