BBC SPORT | Cricket | England | England race to victory

Third Test, Old Trafford, day five
England 50-0 and 512 beat Sri Lanka 253 & 308 by 10 wickets
England win series 2-0

England completed a dramatic win against Sri Lanka when they successfully chased a target of 50 runs to win off six overs to claim a 2-0 series.

It is only the second time since 1985 that England have won a Test series by a two-match margin.

But for most of the day, it seemed certain that Sri Lanka would bat out the day to claim a draw.

The game's complexion completely changed at tea when the second new ball did its job for England's seamers.

Alex Tudor successfully appeals for lbw

First Russel Arnold's long vigil came to an end when he played a lazy drive to Alex Tudor and was out for 109.

Chaminda Vaas made just one before Matthew Hoggard got the ball to swing into his pads and he was plum lbw.

Eric Upashantha never looked like lasting very long and he was soon caught behind off the top edge as Andrew Flintoff grabbed his only wicket of the innings.

It was then Giles's turn to play his part. Umpire Dave Orchard made superb decision when Dilhara Fernando, though playing well forward, was correctly given out lbw for four.

Marvan Atapattu made his belated appearance at number 10, bravely surviving 32 balls with a badly damaged finger before Giles really turned one and had him caught lbw on the back foot.

And the very next ball Muttiah Muralitharan was caught off bat and pad.

Tudor relishes the moment

The Warwickshire spinner, though troubled by a bad back, had returned superb figures of four for 62.

At tea, Sri Lanka appeared to be coasting.

Andrew Flintoff - he played his part on Monday

Alex Tudor took the one wicket to fall in the morning and it was a controversial one as Kumar Sangakkara was ajudged lbw by umpire Steve Bucknor though the ball pitched outside leg stump.

Mahela Jayawardene was soon into his stride smashing Tudor for four with a square cut and launching Giles for a big six.

But Giles had his revenge after lunch when Jayawardene, on 28, edged a defensive jab into the safe hands of Nasser Hussain at slip.

The only other wicket to fall before tea was Aravinda de Silva's.

By the time he was out for 40 - brilliantly caught in the deep by Michael Vaughan off Tudor - the match appeared all but safe.

But how things changed, and when, after 1900 BST Vaughan and Marcus Trescothick came out to bat there was still much to do.

But the brilliant openers hit a succession of fours, and Trescothick added a slog sweep for six off Muralitharan.

The end came with a leg-bye on the last ball of the penultimate over.

England: M E Trescothick, M P Vaughan, M A Butcher N Hussain (Capt), G P Thorpe, A J Stewart (Wkt), A Flintoff A J Tudor, A F Giles, A R Caddick, M J Hoggard.

Sri Lanka: M S Atapattu, S T Jayasuriya (Capt) K C Sangakkara (Wkt), D P M D Jayawardene, L P C Silva H P Tillakaratne, R P Arnold, W P U J C Vaas, K E A Upashantha C R D Fernando, M Muralitharan.

Umpires: S A Bucknor and D L Orchard