Michael Vaughan hit two half-centuries in the Colombo Test

Despite a flat Colombo pitch he was still pleased with performances against Sri Lanka spinner Muttiah Muralitharan.

"We usually have a panic somewhere - but not this time," said Vaughan.

"On a last-day wicket against Murali, the way we did it made it one of the most comfortable draws I've ever been involved with."

Interview: England captain Michael Vaughan

Muralitharan took only one wicket from the 27 overs in the second innings, and overall managed a disappointing 6-173 from 74 overs.

The final match begins in Galle on Tuesday and Vaughan said: "We have a lot to fight for and a lot to play for so we'll try to go out there and win."

Vaughan and Alastair Cook produced century partnerships in each innings. It was only the eighth time that had happened in Test cricket, but also an indication conditions were benign.

Vaughan admitted: "We got through with some really good batting.

"The pitch was very conducive to batting for all five days but full credit to both sets of bowlers to toil away on that sort of surface.

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Sri Lanka skipper Mahela Jayawardene, who hit 195, added: "Unfortunately we just could not push it all the way.

"Even in two days on that wicket, we probably wouldn't have been able to get England out.

"It's turned out to be such a flat and slow pitch. Even Murali, when he was turning the ball, was not getting enough out of it. It was just too slow."

Vaughan was cagey on Matthew Hoggard's possible return from back trouble, or whether a second spinner might play.

Hoggard was England's best bowler in the opening Test in Kandy but missed the Colombo match.

Vaughan said the Yorkshire swing bowler would be monitored over the next few days having bowled in the nets during the latter stages of the second Test.

He said it was too early to make a decision about a possible Test debut for Notts spinner Graeme Swann before conditions in coastal Galle had been assessed.