Sri Lanka vs England Match Highlights & Results

Right, that wraps an enthralling series. Collapse seemed to have been a common factor to Sri Lanka this series (the first innings in the 1st Test and second innings in the 2nd Test). England though would be happy with this strong showing, as they head north to take on an Indian side brimming with sky-high confidence now. They go there for a 4-match Test series, followed by 5 T20Is and 3 ODIs. For Sri Lanka, they are still waiting to get the green signal for their planned tour of West Indies. That's your lot for the day. Do join us for future games. Cheers!

England skipper Joe Root is also the Man of the Match and Series. Says that it was a fine performance to come out on top after losing the toss where they had the worst of the conditions for the majority of the game. Adds that it's a testament of the character of the boys and in the second innings, it was all about dealing with pressure and the guys showed a lot of maturity. On England's plans this morning, on Day 4, Root replies that they wanted to narrow down the deficit. Regarding the bowling plans, Root shares that they wanted to create some chaos by drying out the boundaries and build some pressure. Root further says that they had very little preparation and it's very pleasing to get the results. States that they are happy with their achievements and he wants his team to keep on improving. Joe wants his team to keep the same attitude and desire to keep improving. On areas that they want to improve before the Indian tour, Root replies by saying that they want to improve in all the departments as they weren't entirely clinical in this series. On his most memorable win as a captain, Root says that it's hard to look past this win and there are a lot of positives to take forward.

Sri Lankan skipper, Dinesh Chandimal, says that they were outplayed on Day 4 after doing all the hard work in the last three days. Feels that they did the same mistake as a batting unit that they did on the first day of the first Test. Wants his team to learn from Root and admits that they played good in patches and it's not good against a team like England. Adds that he himself played a rash shot in the second segment and no one took the responsibility. Mentions that 250-plus would have been a good target on this track. Thinks that they need to step up as a batting unit. On the positives, Chandimal says that Lasith Embuldeniya was outstanding throughout the series and he does the hard work and always comes and asks how to improve. Feels that he will be a good asset for Sri Lanka going forward. On his own batting, Chandimal wants to learn from his mistakes and come back stronger.

Dom Sibley comes up for a quick chat! Smiles and says that he had a bit of a stinker in this series. Shares that he has prepared well against the spinners before the series, so was starting to doubt himself a bit. Admits that he was a bit lucky with the umpire's call in this innings. Tells that he just tried to spend time in the middle and build partnerships. Praises Root and adds that he played incredibly well, the way he swept, he made it look so easy. Says that he changed a few things in his batting and it worked for him. On facing spinners with the new ball, Sibley says that this is something he has never faced in England. Mentions that Buttler plays with a little higher tempo than him and he took the pressure off him. Regarding the tour of India, Sibley wants to wait and see with a few senior guys returning but he is happy to get some runs under his belt.

The England openers made their way out then, for the chase. Once again, Crawley fell early but Sibley and Bairstow did well to put England back on track. Post that, 3 quick wickets fell, including Root, and the hosts thought they were in with a chance. But Sibley and Buttler managed to steer England home and helped clinch a 2-0 series victory. For the hosts, overall, Embuldeniya had a 10-fer to show, in the match. Apart from him, it was a disappointing performance from the home team.

For Sri Lanka, Embuldeniya starred with the ball, picking up 7 wickets, with Dilruwan and Ramesh getting 1 each. And then, the Lanka batsmen stepped out to consolidate on that lead, with a plan in mind, get England to chase 240-250 (as their skipper had stated). However, there was a collapse and courtesy Embuldeniya, this time with the bat, they were able to put up something to defend. Their batting was questionable, with the skipper himself throwing away his wicket. There was not much responsibility taken by the batsmen. And unlike in the first innings, in the second, it was England's spinners who shone. 164 was England's target.

Stepping out to bat in response to that, England themselves were in early choppy waters but Root and Bairstow were back to doing the rescue work. There was a 111-run partnership between Jonny and Joe before the former fell. But Root marched on, and with assistance from Buttler and Bess, started shelving the deficit as much as possible. At the end of Day 3 though, he fell, 14 runs shy of his double ton, and in the end, the deficit was reduced down to 37.

Earlier, Sri Lanka had won the toss and chose to bat. The top order faced a mild collapse before Mathews combined with Thirimanne and Chandimal to take his side to safer shores. Dickwella and Dilruwan Perera would carry on the good work later and in the end, the Sri Lankans finished with 381, a good first innings total. For England, the seamers nabbed all the wickets, with Anderson leading the pack with a 6-wicket haul.

England have done it very nicely. They did not need Root at all, in the second innings. Many positives for them in the second innings itself, Buttler remaining not out on 46 and Sibley returning to form with a 50, just before the India series. Fitting that Dom Sibley gets the winning runs and seals the series in England's favour, 2-0! 5 wins in 5 Test matches in Asia, for Root.

ENGLAND WIN BY 6 WICKETS! Full and floated around middle, Sibley presses forward and flicks it through square leg for a run. Smiles in the English camp, they have done it!

Tossed up ball landing full around off, Buttler reverse sweeps it to deep backward point for a single. SCORES LEVEL!

Loopy and full on off, Sibley helps it towards square leg and steals a quick run.

A single and just 3 more are required for the Englishmen here. Shortish length delivery around the off pole, Sibley clips it to the mid-wicket region and takes one.

Motors the fuller length delivery through the covers and picks up a single.

Loopy and on off, blocked.

FOUR! HAMMERED! Gets down to the loopy ball and nails his slog sweep through the mid-wicket carpet for a boundary. England are just one hit away from a win. So too is Buttler, from his fifty.

Smart shot there from Dom. He was aware of the fact that there was no fielder at short fine leg. Paddles the fuller ball nicely through that region and picks up three as Suranga fields that.

Fuller in length ball, on off and middle, a big stride forward to defend it back to the bowler.

Turn and bounce from around off, Buttler moves back and taps it down to backward square leg.

Gets back and flicks it on the leg side, finds the fielder.

FIFTY FOR DOM SIBLEY! His third in Test career and must be the most satisfying one. He gets there by nudging a delivery through square leg for a run. His teammates are up in the balcony. A knock of great character!

Full and floated on off, Sibley inside edges his attempted flick and it rolls towards leg slip.

Loopy and full on middle, Dom works it on the leg side, finds short mid-wicket.

Strides forward to a full ball and defends it back.

Fuller in length on the middle stump line, JB is watchful as he defends it back on the pitch.

Did not come back in enough there. Lasith Embuldeniya loops it outside off. It pitches and comes back in, only just though, not enough to trouble the batter to play at it and Jos Buttler chooses not to fiddle at that.

Comes on the front foot and fends this one out.

The batsman has just watchfully blocked this out.

Shorter length ball, outside off, this time he nurdles it wide of the man at backward point. Comes back for a couple as the deep point fielder runs and mops it up.

Turning away, outside the off pole, on a shortish length. Jos Buttler lets the ball complete its turn and stabs it to the point region.

Sibley is in no hurry! Tossed up delivery around middle and leg, Dom hangs back and plays it down to mid-wicket.

Flatter and middle, Sibley defends it from the back foot. Stays on 49!

Now a single! Too full and outside off, Buttler goes hard at it this time and slices his drive through backward point for a run.

FOUR! Boom! Buttler wants to finish it now. Too full and outside off, Jos shows his power as he dismisses it against the spin through wide mid off.

Forces a full ball down to long on and picks up a run.

Gets on the front foot and pushes a full ball back. Perera runs to his right and stops the ball.

Drinks break! Well, England just require another 21 runs here and there is nothing much left for the Lankans. They would only be rueing the way they batted earlier. If only they could have gotten England to chase maybe 240-250, they might have stood a better chance. But now, the writing seems to be on the wall, crystal clear. Only a matter of moments before England sweep the series 2-0... And it seems, we are just speculating that England have taken the extra half hour. The reason is we don't usually see Drinks at this stage.

A single here. Eases this fullish length ball to the right of sweeper cover and takes the only single in the over.

Full and around off, defended back on the pitch.

Full and on middle and leg, Dom defends it out with a straight bat.

Outside off, stabbed to the man at cover-point.

Works it with the turn, off the outer half, to backward point. They do not go for a single here.

Shortish length ball outside off, left alone.

A long hop on leg, a delivery of a tired bowler, Buttler swivels on the back foot and pulls it powerfully to deep square leg for a couple of runs. 8 runs in the over, England inching closer to the target.

A loopy off spinner on off, this time Sibley uses the spin and helps it past short leg for a run.

Short and on middle, turning down, Jos helps it to square leg for a run. The 50-run stand comes up.

FOUR! Blazed away! Mendis is very full with his length outside off, Buttler strides forward and bludgeons his drive through covers for a cracking boundary. Thumped. 26 needed more.

Loopy and full on off, Sibley gently knocks it in the gap at covers for a run.

Slow spin back into the batsman, Buttler comfortably works it through square leg for a run.

Just does what he has been doing best all along. Comes forward and defends the full length delivery out.

Loopy ball on the off pole, Dom strides forward in defense.

The batsman works this to the leg side and takes a single.

FOUR! That has gone away for a boundary. Good effort from Dilruwan, but not enough. Short length delivery, outside off, Buttler goes back and cuts it hard. Perera, who was at deep point, runs to his left and dives but does not do enough to stop the ball from touching the advertising triangle.

Tosses it very full and on the middle stump, Jos strides forward and pushes it back to the bowler.

Full and outside off, driven through cover-point for a run.

Lasith Embuldeniya is back. Just a brief respite for him. Shows how much Sri Lanka depend on him. Can he usher in a breakthrough here?

Drags his length short and lands it on middle, Buttler goes deep inside the crease, turns and pulls it to deep square leg for a couple. 38 needed more.

Flighted and outside off, breaking back into the batsman, Jos goes on the back foot and defends.

Hangs on the back foot to a shortish ball and punches it to short mid-wicket.

Uppish but evades the diving effort of Ramesh Mendis! In fact, the replays show that it's DROPPED! Full and flighted outside off, luring the batsman into a drive. Buttler unveils it but fails to keep it down. It goes to the left side of the bowler who puts in a full length dive but fails to hang onto it with his left hand. Ramesh is disgusted with himself. That would have been a stupendous caught and bowled.

Tossed up ball, landing further up around off, Jos defends it down safely.

Full and floated on middle, Buttler works it off his pads to short mid-wicket.

Shorter length ball this time, to finish, around the off pole line. Sibley waits for it to turn in and then dabs it to the man at short mid-wicket. He seems to be in no hurry to wrap things up here.

Back to fuller lengths and DS is back to front foot defenses.

The trajectory is flatter, on the off pole, Sibley taps it to the leg side.

Full and on off, Dom Sibley comes forward and safely defends it back on the surface.

Nudges this down to mid on for one this time.

Leans forward and drives the full one through the covers. Comes back in for a comfortable second.

Too much spin on this one. Landing on a fuller length around off, Dom thinks about flicking but it spins away towards leg to beat his bat.

Spinning down the leg side, Buttler gets some bat behind it and the ball goes wide of Dickwella. Mathews does well to stop it but the batsmen take a run.

Quicker and flatter on middle, Buttler moves back and defends it down to short leg.

Leans forward to a full ball and calmly works it with the spin to square leg for a run.

Flatter off spinner, landing on off and turning back in, Dom is on the front foot this time as he defends it to the leg side.

NOT OUT! Umpire's call, yet again. A big off spinning delivery, landing a touch short and curving back into the batsman, Sibley goes back to work it on the leg side but misses. He is hit high on the pads, the appeal is made but nothing from the umpire. Chandimal goes for the DRS and the replays find it to be clipping the leg stump. Only consolation for Sri Lanka is that they retained their referral.

A screaming appeal for an lbw! The umpire remains unmoved. Dinesh Chandimal takes the referral. Is it too high and also spinning too much?

DP pulls the length back and dishes out a shortish length delivery on off and middle, Buttler goes back and nudges it to short mid-wicket. Follows it up with a 'no'.

Presses forward and keeps the fuller length delivery out, back to Dilruwan Perera.

Off and middle-pole lined, flicked through mid-wicket for a single.

BEATEN! Nicely bowled. Lands it on a full length and outside off, it pitches and spins in. Sibley looks to defend from within the line but is beaten there.

Loopy delivery, outside the off pole line, Sibley lets out a big stride forward and taps it beside him, on the off side. Jos was interested in a single but Dom sends him back.

Floated on the pads, Dom clips but short leg dives to his right and stops that.

Just a mere push. Sibley pushes it with gentle hands to covers and keeps strike with a run. 46 more for a clean sweep.

A loopy one, it's dipping in on middle and leg, Buttler drives it down towards mid off for a run.

Easy going! Embuldeniya delivers a full ball around leg, it's worked behind square leg for a single.

A flatter delivery close to off, spinning away, Sibley moves back and defends it to the off side.

Eased away! Too full in length and around middle, Buttler plays a well-timed and executed paddle sweep down to long leg for a run.

Loopy delivery, landing full and on leg, Sibley clips it softly through square leg for a run.

No respite! Lasith Embuldeniya has a change of ends.

Too full in length, outside off, Jos the Boss drives it through the cover region and fetches himself a brace.

On the middle pole, JB closes the face of his bat and flicks it on the leg side.

Short and down the leg side, Jos Buttler rocks back but lets it be.

Well, there is no rest for Lasith Embuldeniya. Full length ball on middle and off, Buttler gets low and reverse sweeps it. LE, who was at deep backward point, rushes to his right and does well to keep it out. A couple though.

The line is on middle and leg, Jos nudges it down to short mid-wicket.

Stays back to this fullish length ball and clips it to the right of short fine leg. A dot.

Dilruwan Perera is back into the attack. Finally, a break for Embuldeniya! 8-1-21-0 are Perera's figures so far.

Tossed up ball landing full and on off, Sibley defends it in front of short leg. 55 needed more.

A brisk single. Turning down the leg side, easy pickings for the batsman. Buttler nurdles it wide of backward square leg and scampers across to the other end. The fielder misses his shy at the bowler's end but even a direct hit would not have mattered. Jos was safely in.

Too full in length on off, Buttler squeezes it out to mid off.

Flicks it with the spin. The length is on the shorter side and it's easily worked through backward square leg for one.

This one is too full and on middle, Buttler eases it down to long on and rotates the strike.