Hick remains a key member of the one-day side

Mark Alleyne was sent out to open with Vaughan, but only scored two before Ganegama bowled him as he hit across the line.

Vaughan managed one scoring shot in the first four overs, but the arrival of Hick encouraged him to be more positive.

He twice came down the wicket to crash fast bowler Dilhara Fernando to the boundary and then clipped Pasan Wanasinghe through mid-wicket for another.

Vaughan needed two slices of luck before reaching his half century off 54 balls as Fernando dropped a straightforward chance at mid-on and Indika de Saram failed to take the catch after he top edged an attempted pull.

Hick went to fifty by hitting Tilan Samaraweera for six over long-off, and he cleared the ropes six more times in the next five overs as he took just 16 balls to go from 50 to 100.

He then returned to the pavilion to give others a chance for batting practice, but Nick Knight had only just arrived in the middle when Vaughan was bowled by Wanasinghe for 97.

Knight's innings was brief as he was caught behind off leg-spinner Chandana for one but Andrew Flintoff (18) and Mark Ealham (19) put on 30 for the fifth wicket before Samaraweera accounted for both.

The innings went into freefall thereafter with Robert Croft bowled by Fernando for 10 and Ganegama dismissing Thorpe and Andrew Caddick with successive deliveries.

Last man Alan Mullally prevented the hat-trick, but was bowled in Ganegama's next over attempting a crude swish over mid-wicket, leaving Ashley Giles stranded on six not out.

The President's XI made a poor start as Mullally and Caddick found an excellent line with the new ball.

Mullally marked his first game since last summer with two for 22 in his initial seven over spell, while Caddick had the dangerous Romesh Kaluwitharana caught behind by Alleyne for nine.

De Saram scored 32, but the main resistance came from Arnold and Samaraweera.

They put on 45 for the sixth wicket before Hick's off-spin accounted for Arnold, who was caught by Thorpe after hitting five boundaries in his 86-ball innings.

The home side fell further behind the required run rate but reached 205 for six before Caddick's treble put the seal on England's victory.

Samaraweera reached his fifty off 60 balls in the final over, bowled by Robert Croft, and was unbeaten on 51 at the end.

Teams

President's XI: R Arnold (capt), R Kaluwitharana (wkt), A Gunawardene, L de Silva, S de Saram, T Dilshan, U Chandana, T Samaraweera, W Wanasinghe, D Fernando, A Ganegama

England: G Thorpe (capt), N Knight, G Hick, A Flintoff, M Vaughan, A Giles, R Croft, A Caddick, A Mullally, M Alleyne, M Ealham.