England secure 2-0 Test series win in Sri Lanka after second Galle success

Joe Root's men make it four Test series wins in a row and five victories on the bounce away from home, but they were pushed all the way by the improving hosts

Galle (fourth day of five): Sri Lanka 381 & 126, England 344 & 164-4 - England won by six wickets

Scorecard

England held their nerve to prevail by six wickets in a pulsating second Test against Sri Lanka to secure a 2-0 series win.

Tasked with chasing down 164 in the fourth innings on a tired-looking surface, Dom Sibley and Jos Buttler put on a 75-run partnership for the fifth wicket to secure victory.

The foundations for the success were built during the fourth afternoon when the hosts were dismissed for 126, during which Jack Leach and Dom Bess shared eight wickets.

Lasith Embuldeniya threatened to upset the party as he completed a maiden 10-wicket haul in just his ninth Test, but it was not to be for a Sri Lankan side who are now winless in their last five.

Not for a decade have England won four Test series in a row - when they soared to world No.1 under Andrew Strauss.

They have also now set a new post-war record of five successive away Test wins. The last such streak came between 1911 and 1914 when they claimed seven on the bounce.

After virtually submitting on the opening morning of the first Test having been dismissed for 135, Sri Lanka laid the platform for a much-improved display with a strong first innings showing.

^{Lasith Embuldeniya claimed a maiden 10-for in Galle}

Angelo Mathews (110) hit an 11th Test century and though he fell short of a maiden hundred, Niroshan Dickwella's 92 helped the home side to 381.

If it hadn't been for an inspired performance from James Anderson, who replaced Stuart Broad in the only change, then England would have been well behind the eight-ball.

The Lancashire seamer collected his best Test figures on tour of 6-40.

In reply, Joe Root continued his imperious-looking form with another century to go to fourth in England's all-time Test run-scorers list.

Despite the skipper's 186 and Buttler's impressive 55, Sri Lanka took a 37-run advantage into the second half of the game.

But Sri Lanka scuppered their chance to stamp a mark on the contest, being reduced to 78 for 8 in the third innings.

^{Dom Bess came good in the second innings as England roared back}

After all 10 of the home side's first innings wickets fell to seam bowling, the spinners dominated this time around.

Leach and Bess claimed four wickets apiece in a much-needed, confidence-boosting display ahead of the India tour.

Embuldeniya chimed in with a vital 40, his highest score in any format of professional cricket before Root rounded off the innings as England were set 164 for victory.

The biggest total required for a visiting team to win a Galle Test looked like being a tester when England were reduced to 89 for 4, with Root out for 11.

A diligent Sibley kept his cool as Sri Lanka ratcheted up the pressure and he combined ably with Buttler to see the tourists over the line with a day to spare.

Images courtesy of Sri Lanka Cricket