SUNIL JAYASIRI 
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England wins the test series
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England and Sri Lanka drew the third and final Test at the Rose Bowl on Monday. A draw in this match gave England the three-match series 1-0 after an innings and 14-run victory in the first Test in Cardiff was followed by stalemate at Lord's.
Chris Tremlett's Test-best return of six for 48 that saw Sri Lanka dismissed for just 184 in the first innings of what was the Rose Bowl's debut as a Test ground.
England replied with 377 for eight declared that featured Ian Bell's 119 not out -- his second hundred of the series after he made a century in Cardiff.
That enabled England captain Andrew Strauss to make a bold declaration on Sunday, with his side 193 runs in front.
But Sri Lanka captain Kumar Sangakkara, leading the side in the absence of the injured Tillakaratne Dilshan, hit back with 119 -- his maiden Test hundred in England.
Together with Thilan Samaraweera (87 not out), he shared a fifth wicket stand of 141 on Monday before rain, which took 155 overs out of the game on the first three days, returned at tea to scupper any chance of a positive result.
The draw meant England remained third in the ICC Test rankings -- they would have gone joint second if they'd won -- behind leaders India, their next Test opponents, and South Africa.
England and Sri Lanka now face each other in a Twenty20 match and five one-day internationals, starting with the Twenty20 contest in Bristol on Saturday, June 25.
Brief scores:
Sri Lanka 1st Inns: 184 (C Tremlett 6-48)
England 1st Inns: 377-8 dec (I Bell 119 no, K Pietersen 85, E Morgan 71, A Cook 55; S Lakmal 3-99)
Sri Lanka 2nd Inns: 334-5 (K Sangakkara 119, T Samaraweera 87 no)
Result: Match drawn
Series: England win three-match series 1-0
(AFP)
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