Sangakkara's nifty footwork, Prasad's bad footwork

Rangana Herath played two characteristic baseball shots in his three-ball innings, then took the gag a little further on the final ball of the innings. Spotting a short one from Chris Jordan, he aimed a swipe over a straight midwicket, and took off for the run. Having top-edged the ball just past the 30-yard circle, Herath had a chance to run two, only, he had somehow dropped his bat at the striker's end, and was compelled to turn down a risky second.

Ever the opportunist behind the stumps, Kumar Sangakkara's anticipatory shuffle-and-take to dismiss Ravi Bopara was tantamount to stealing his wicket, rather than earning it fairly. Rangana Herath had been walloped over his head for six the previous ball, but when Bopara shaped to play a paddle sweep, Sangakkara smelt blood and began slinking to the leg side. Bopara's shot came virtually off the face, and a, ended up in Sangakkara's gloves instead.

Joe Root had held the latter part of England's chase together, and when Dhammika Prasad had him caught at cover for 40, Sri Lanka believed their chances of defending their score had risen substantially. But their joy was to be erased by technology. Unsure of whether Prasad had overstepped, the on-field umpires requested the third umpire's assistance, and Prasad was found to have bowled a no-ball, by perhaps no more than an inch. Root survived and went on to hit the winning run. That Prasad over ended up lurching England 21 runs closer to victory.

With Moeen Ali skipping along at a strike rate of nearly 150, England just needed a couple of batsmen to stay with him. Alastair Cook did a capable job but Alex Hales, back in the side and asked to bat at No. 3, proved less reliable. He almost got himself in bother backing up off the fourth ball of the 15th over, falling over and having to scramble for the crease, but worse was to come. The next delivery was driven firmly by Moeen wide of Herath, never the most nimble of fielders, at mid-off and he had to dive to stop it. However, with Moeen charging down the pitch, Hales had turned to watch the ball and then decided to return to his crease - leaving Moeen to sprint desperately back in the direction whence he came. It was a futile effort, as Sangakkara took a smart catch and whipped off the bails, Moeen having run almost two by himself. He was left to continue his trot back to the dressing room.

Sangakkara, playing probably his last ODI in this part of the country and having cruised past 13,000 career runs, looked in the mood to toy with England for most of the innings. In the second over of the batting Powerplay, Sangakkara decided to cut himself a generous slice of Chris Jordan's bowling: first he clubbed a fullish ball over midwicket; then, when a fielder was moved to plug that area, he leaned back and ramped a short delivery down to vacant third man. Next he went leg side again, thrashing a couple more to wide long-on. Then he was out, mistiming a pull to mid-on as Jordan cut his fingers over a slower ball. Sangakkara looked as shocked as anyone - it may have cost him a few but Jordan had got his man.