England squandered a good position for the second successive match as Sanath Jayasuriya guided Sri Lanka to a vital victory.

He made 106 off 110 balls and then kept his head in the field after Marcus Trescothick and Nick Knight launched England's bid to score 285 with a century stand.

VB Series table

Australia P5 W4 L1 BP2 Pts22 RR0.76 England P6 W2 L4 BP4 Pts14 RR-0.05 Sri Lanka P5 W2 L3 BP2 Pts12 RR-0.68

Trescothick hit 13 fours in his 85 as they progressed to 161 for two after 28 overs but was then run out by an accurate throw from the boundary.

His dismissal sparked an England collapse, with Muttiah Muralitharan bowling Jimmy Anderson to claim his 300th one-day wicket.

The final word went to veteran Aravinda de Silva, who dismissed Steve Harmison for figures of four for 30, to follow an innings of 51 earlier in the day.

Early breakthrough

Harmison again had problems with his direction

England made the perfect start to the game when Caddick accounted for Marvan Atapattu for nought in his opening over.

But Jayasuriya was quick to seize on anything loose and sensible batting by Hashan Tillekeratne enabled them to add 144 in 25 overs for the second wicket.

They were eventually separated by Paul Collingwood when Tillekeratne gave a catch to Trescothick and Jayasuriya should have followed on 91.

He flipped a ball straight to Harmison at backward square leg but the paceman fumbled the chance and Jayasuriya went on to reach his 15th limited overs century off only 94 balls.

It was the first of two catches floored by Harmison, who also sent down nine wides and two no balls in his nine overs.

A top edged sweep off Ian Blackwell eventually brought about Jayasuriya's downfall, but de Silva carried on the good work as he became the third highest run scorer in one-day internationals with 8,958.

Solid start

Stewart was left stranded

Trescothick and Knight encountered few serious alarms as they launched England's reply and gradually raised the tempo, with Charitha Buddhika conceding four fours in the 14th over.

Trescothick reached his fifty off only 47 balls as they took the score to 115 before Knight was caught hooking at Fernando, although TV replays suggested it was a no ball.

The powerfully built paceman also accounted for Nasser Hussain (13) but even more important was his run out of Trescothick, who was soon followed back to the pavilion by Collingwood.

Alec Stewart became the second run out victim as Owais Shah changed his mind about a single - a debatable decision over which of them should have gone - and it was downhill all the way after Shah was caught in the deep for 39.

England: N Hussain (capt), ME Trescothick, NV Knight, ID Blackwell, OA Shah, PD Collingwood, AJ Stewart, RC Irani, AR Caddick, JM Anderson, SJ Harmison.

Sri Lanka: ST Jayasuriya (capt), HP Tillakaratne, PA de Silva, DPMD Jayawardene, KC Sangakkara, RP Arnold, WPUJC Vaas, TCB Fernando (Buddhika), CRD Fernando (Dilhara), M Muralitharan.