Samaraweera and Jayawardene increase England's woes

Close Sri Lanka 563 for 5 (Samaraweera 142, Jayawardene 134, Dilshan 72*, Chandana 54*) lead England 265 by 298 runs
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An authoritative stand of 262 between Thilan Samaraweera and Mahela Jayawardene, along with a late flourish from Tillakaratne Dilshan and Upul Chandana, continued Sri Lanka's total domination - and England's agony - in the final Test in Colombo. Sri Lanka added a further 299 runs today for the loss of only three wickets, closing on an imposing 563 for 5, and with a lead of 298.

Samaraweera and Jayawardene both reached their centuries, and put on a record partnership on this ground, and the highest ever for Sri Lanka against England. Dilshan then chalked up his third successive half-century of the series, as he and Chandana added a cool 107 late in the day to pile on the pain for a bruised and battered England side. Sri Lanka will look to bat on till lunch tomorrow and take themselves out of sight - which they have all but done already.

England were listless from the start, and never looked like making a breakthrough. The new ball came and went with a whimper, as Jayawardene and Samaraweera blocked their way through a succession of maidens, and there was hardly a shot in anger all morning. Attacking strokes were more or less shelved after Jayawardene had a lucky let-off at backward square leg. He hooked loosely at Andrew Flintoff and was badly missed by Ashley Giles, stooping forward five metres in from the boundary.

Jayawardene made England pay for that drop immediately after lunch when he swept Gareth Batty for four to bring up his tenth Test century, and Samaraweera wasn't far behind. He reached his landmark, after six hours at the crease, with a cracking square-drive off Batty. He did, however, survive his third chance, on 98, when Marcus Trescothick dropped another sitter at slip, this time off Batty.

Both batsmen then stepped up a gear as they built on the morning's platform. Samaraweera twice hammered Batty through the covers, and then played a pearling drive on the up off James Anderson. Jayawardene whipped Giles over midwicket and then crunched Anderson through the covers to notch up another boundary.

England were on their knees begging for mercy, and Jayawardene showed some generosity by shovelling a Flintoff loosener straight to Paul Collingwood, the substitute fielder, at deep square leg (400 for 3). He departed for 134 - and it was the first wicket for nearly six hours. Flintoff had to leave the field shortly afterwards with a groin problem, and he joined Mark Butcher, who injured his finger in the morning, on the casualty list.

Samaraweera then eventually ran out of lives when his determined innings came to a bizarre end. Dilshan nudged the ball into the off side and called Samaraweera through for a single, but then sent him back. Chris Read returned the ball to Batty at the non-striker's end and Samaraweera was out by yards (430 for 4).

The back of Samaraweera and Jawayardene relieved some of the heat off England, especially as Marvan Atapattu was unlikely to bat, and they finally had some sort of impetus. And that was increased when Giles had his first success - in his 51st over - when Hashan Tillakaratne tried to cut a ball too close to his body and was clean bowled (456 for 5).

Dilshan, though, simply took over the wheel on Sri Lanka's road to riches, and Chandana proved excellent company in the passenger seat. They crushed any resurgence and tossed England straight back on the scrapheap. Chandana started with a bang, driving Batty straight back past his head and pulling a short one for four the next ball. The batsmen then put the big shots away for a while and looked for the singles as they turned the screw firmly Sri Lanka's way.

Another one bites the dust: Marcus Trescothick reflects on his third drop of the innings - and England's sixth © Getty Images

Chandana brought up the fifty stand with an elegant cut for four off Batty, and then smashed him for a huge six over mid-on. He raced to his second Test half-century and with Dilshan in utter control at the other end, the Sri Lankan balcony were all smiles.

For England, though, conceding almost 300 runs for only three wickets - one of which was a run out - tells its own story. Weary, knackered, dishevelled, uninspired - it was a horror show for any supporter to watch.

It was a similar story to yesterday, with two dropped catches and more tired bowling. Batty's offspin had been treading water for most of this series, but today it sank without trace. Giles manfully chugged through 60 overs, but again was unthreatening.

Flintoff and Butcher leaving the pitch only added injuries to insult on a thoroughly depressing day for England. The only question that now remains is whether they can make it three losing draws out of three.