England beaten in Kandy

Heroic batting from Ian Bell and Matt Prior proved in vain as England lost by 88 runs to Sri Lanka in the first Test at Asgiriya, after being bowled out for 261.

Bell and Prior spent more than two and a half hours together repelling the hosts before falling within the space of three Muttiah Muralitharan deliveries on the final evening.

With shadows covering the entire square, Murali then claimed a fortuitous leg before dismissal of Ryan Sidebottom - replays highlighted a huge inside edge - to leave England nine wickets down.

Set an improbable 350-run victory target, Michael Vaughan's team's fate was sealed when Lasith Malinga bowled Matthew Hoggard with a searing yorker.

England appeared to be sliding towards an inevitable defeat when they lost their fifth wicket of the day, and sixth overall, shortly after lunch.

But a defiant seventh-wicket stand between Bell (74) and Prior (63) took the contest deep into the evening session.

Both men were then bowled by world-record holder Murali - Prior dismissed by one which skidded on in similar manner to the one which did for Paul Collingwood in the first innings and Bell undone by an off-spinner for which he over compensated.

Having waited until his 32nd over of the innings for an initial breakthrough, Murali then claimed a third in quick succession when left-hander Sidebottom was given out by umpire Asad Rauf.