England win by 16 runs and take series 3-2. We've been waiting for a close finish and finally we got one. This match has gone one way and the other and back again before settling in England's favour. They may still have a lot of work to go before they are a proper ODI side but Cook can be very pleased with securing a series win. Sri Lanka have, at times, looked a vastly superior side this series - their first since Murali's retirement - but have come away second. Nevertheless in Dinesh Chandimal especially they have real talent for the future.

Really was an excellent final match, Swann was superb, as was Bresnan and Dernbach's double at the end proved he has the mentality, at least, to succeed at this level. The pitch was not the classic seamer England routinely feel comfortable on but they managed to fight their way to victory.

Atherton leads the press conference and Jonathan Trott is named man of the match. Wouldn't like to be sitting next to Bob Willis right now. "It was a lot easier coming in after Cook and Kieswetter had done such a good job," he says. "We wanted to have a quick look then go as quickly as possible. There is a lot of belief in our changing room and we're very pleased to have beat Sri Lanka in conditions today that are similar to Colombo."

Alastair Cook is named player of the series Wonderfully, Atherton has to present him with that award. Good series for a plodder eh? "To play well under the pressure of a deciding match was very pleasing. We don't want it to be close but we handled the pressure excellently today. There is stuff to improve on but this is a step in the right direction." Cook is somehow managing not to look very smug and is disarmed by Atherton asking if "it's nice to prove the critics wrong, given that I was one of the biggest ones?". Smiles all round. Aw.

Well, that ends the England v Sri Lanka summer. It was nice to get a good finale after a summer series that hasn't quite sparked off. Still, thanks for all the emails. That's all from me, Sahil Dutta, Liam Brickhill, Andrew McGlashan, and Andrew Miller.

48.2

Dernbach to Malinga, OUT

bowled him! Dernbach is appealing at first but realises soon enough he's won the match for England! Spearing yorker bursts under the bat and rattles the stumps! England go wild, the crowd goes wild! Cook has pulled off victory in his first series as full-time captain

Lasith Malinga b Dernbach 6 (2b 0x4 1x6 6m) SR: 300

That could just about be the final blow. That 15-run partnership between Anderson and Dernbach at the end of the England innings has been pivotal.

48.1

Dernbach to Angelo Mathews, OUT

slower ball has done for Mathews! Dernbach screams to the heavens! Great delivery! Mathews was completely deceived, played much too early, lost one hand off the bat and it looped to Bresnan at short third man who held on. Brilliant innings but it might not be enough

Angelo Mathews c Bresnan b Dernbach 62 (64b 6x4 0x6 102m) SR: 96.87

Dernbach, what are you made of? In his first series he has a huge task here.

Over48

11 runs, 2 wickets

SL 252/8CRR: 5.25 RRR: 8.50

SL Malinga 6 (1b 1x6)AD Mathews 62 (63b 6x4)

JM Anderson2/55 (10)

47.6

Anderson to Malinga, SIX runs

shot! Shot Malinga! What a strike! He's just waltzed down the track and crashed this a mile into the stands over long-on! That's changed the things completely!

Malinga is the new man he has the experience but can he keep his cool? This has been an excellent final over from Anderson.

47.5

Anderson to Angelo Mathews, 1 run, OUT

panic from Sri Lanka! Randiv has gone without facing a ball! Mathews drove nicely out to deep cover and Randiv desperately wanted to come back for a second, Mathews didn't have any of it and the batsmen ended up at the same end, eventually Randiv turned back but far too late

Suraj Randiv run out (Swann/Anderson/†Kieswetter) 0 (0b 0x4 0x6 2m) SR: 0

Randiv has done so much in this match and now needs to partner Mathews to the finish.

47.4

Anderson to Kulasekara, OUT

Kulasekara has gone! Another slower ball is swung out to deep midwicket, Eoin Morgan looking into the sun steadies himself under it and takes the catch. Dot ball, too

Nuwan Kulasekara c Morgan b Anderson 4 (4b 0x4 0x6 8m) SR: 100

47.3

Anderson to Kulasekara, 2 runs

slower ball bouncer is swung away to deep midwicket but it's just a couple. Sri Lanka need a boundary this over

47.2

Anderson to Angelo Mathews, 1 run

oof Anderson gets away with this! Full ball, swinging into the pads with fine leg up. Just flicked the pad but got enough of it to take the pace off

47.1

Anderson to Kulasekara, 1 run

slower ball from Anderson to Kulasekara on a good length, the batsman eases a drive through cover to bring Mathews back to the business end

Anderson will finish off now, leaving Bresnan and Dernbach with the last two. Big pressure on the Dernbach in his first series. Fine leg and third man are up in the circle. Anderson has to get it right if he's going full with inswing.

Over47

8 runs, 1 wicket

SL 241/6CRR: 5.12 RRR: 9.33

KMDN Kulasekara 1 (1b)AD Mathews 60 (61b 6x4)

SR Patel1/49 (10)

46.6

Patel to Kulasekara, 1 run

Kulasekara drives his first ball stylishly down the ground to take a single that keeps the strike. Patel is done for the day and his last over was a good one. The game is still very tight and it's the big three pacemen to finish off

46.5

Patel to Angelo Mathews, 1 run

smart bowling from Patel, quicker ball that Mathews guides into the off side for a single

46.4

•

Patel to Angelo Mathews, no run

ah, after shots as good as the one before why try to reverse sweep!?

46.3

Patel to Angelo Mathews, FOUR runs

wonderful stuff again from Mathews! Gets down the track and leg side of the ball, picks a gap between deep cover and long-off and drives sweetly to the boundary

46.2

Patel to Angelo Mathews, 2 runs

Mathews gets well outside leg to open out the off side and Bell's misfield at cover allows him to come back for a second

It's all on Mathews now, Kulasekara will struggle to time the ball straight away on this deck. Patel makes his first real impact on the match at a crucial time.

46.1

Patel to Jeevan Mendis, OUT

Mendis falls trying to clear the boundary! England strike gold with Patel. Mendis was down the track trying to smear Patel over cow corner, didn't get enough of it and Pietersen waited coolly underneath to pouch the chance!

Jeevan Mendis c Pietersen b Patel 48 (53b 4x4 0x6 72m) SR: 90.56

Crucial over this: Samit Patel.

Over46

9 runs

SL 233/5CRR: 5.06 RRR: 9.00

BMAJ Mendis 48 (52b 4x4)AD Mathews 53 (57b 5x4)

JM Anderson1/44 (9)

45.6

Anderson to Jeevan Mendis, 1 run

over ends with Mendis squeezing out a drive through cover all along the ground. Good over for the tourists getting nine

This is, by far, Mendis's top score, by the way.

45.5

Anderson to Angelo Mathews, 1 run

slower ball again from Anderson, Mathews gave himself room to chop to third man but got too much and steered to deep point

45.4

Anderson to Angelo Mathews, FOUR runs

fantastic batting to bring up the 100 stand! Anderson gets his length slightly wrong and Mathews gets all of leg-side clip, timing it brilliantly and bisecting the two deep-set fielders. Brings up his fifty too!

45.3

Anderson to Angelo Mathews, 2 runs

somehow Mathews gets power on this drive from a yorker length, very swift running turned it into a much-needed couple

45.2

•

Anderson to Angelo Mathews, no run

top bowling from Anderson, lands a slower ball excellently. Mendis tries to run it past the keeper but can't

45.1

Anderson to Jeevan Mendis, 1 run

good delivery, full and straight. Mendis manages to force down the ground

Anderson continues...

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