The result meant Sri Lanka won its first series of more than one Test on English soil. It had previously won the one-off Test at The Oval in 1998, a game remembered for Muttiah Muralitharan’s match haul of 16 wickets.

This was also Sri Lanka’s third win in England, having won a Test at Trent Bridge in 2006.

The first Test had also ended in a thrilling finish, with Sri Lanka holding on for a draw with nine wickets down. For large parts of Tuesday, it looked as if England would do the same, but a well-directed short ball from Shaminda Eranga got James Anderson, England’s No.11, fending to Rangana Herath at short leg to end the game in Sri Lanka’s favour.(KH/SI)