Colombo: Graeme Swann claimed a match haul of 10 wickets as England roared to a series-levelling win over Sri Lanka in the second and final Test on Saturday to retain their number one ranking.
Swann followed his four wickets in the first innings with six in the second as Sri Lanka were bowled out for 278 at the stroke of lunch on the fifth day at the P Sara Oval in Colombo.
England, set a modest target of 94, coasted home by eight wickets despite a brief stutter at 31-2 following the dismissals of skipper Andrew Strauss for no score and Jonathan Trott for five.
Alastair Cook and Kevin Pietersen carried the tourists home with a brisk third-wicket stand of 66 in 69 balls, amid wild celebrations from some 5,000 travelling English fans at the ground.
Left-hander Cook remained unbeaten on 49 and Pietersen, who hit a century in the first innings, smashed 42 not out from 28 balls, signalling his team’s emphatic victory with a six off Tillakaratne Dilshan.
It was England’s first win in five Tests on their Asian sojourn this year after being blanked 3-0 by Pakistan in the United Arab Emirates and losing the first Test against Sri Lanka in Galle.
Sri Lanka, currently ranked sixth, paid the price for not reaching 300 in either innings of the match and will remain without a series win since 2009, when they beat New Zealand at home. The overnight pair of Mahela Jayawardene and Angelo Mathews, who resumed at 218-6, survived close calls within the first 30 minutes of play. (AFP)
