By Callum Dent
Kumar Sangakkara compiled his fourth consecutive half-century to help Sri Lanka recover from the loss of three early wickets in the fifth one-day international against England in Kandy.
After Chris Jordan held on at slip to hand Steven Finn Kusal Perera's scalp third ball, the attacking Tillakaratne Dilshan and Sangakkara added 51.
England responded when Jordan, in his first over, bowled Dilshan via an inside edge before the paceman, positioned between second and third slip, took his second catch to dismiss Mahela Jayawardene off Chris Woakes.
But Sangakkara and skipper Angelo Mathews helped Sri Lanka regain control with a stand of 85 until the latter became Jordan’s second victim.
Captain Alastair Cook won the toss and was one of two changes for England, replacing Alex Hales at the top of the order while James Tredwell played instead of Ben Stokes.
The hosts were forced into one alteration due to Rangana Herath's hamstring injury. Sachithra Senanayake, who was yesterday cleared by the ICC to resume bowling in international cricket, was handed his chance.
Match scorecard / Live ball-by-ball commentary
Follow ECB_cricket on Twitter / Live images
Sri Lanka innings
11.40am - REVIEW - Jeevan Mendis pushes forward at Tredwell first ball and Jos Buttler whips off the bails. The umpires have a look but the new batsman had his foot grounded.
11.37am - WICKET! Thirimanne lbw Tredwell 8; SL 173/5 - Thirimanne tries to sweep Tredwell and is hit on the pads in front. Not even a review can save the left-hander.
11.32am - Lahiru Thirimanne gets in on the act now, driving Tredwell behind square for another boundary in an over costing just six. We are into the final over of the powerplay.
11.28am - Sangakkara's timing is exquisite as he walks down the pitch and drives the returning Finn over cover for four. The left-hander then flicks the paceman off his legs and almost picks out James Taylor running in from the deep midwicket rope.
11.18am - Sangakkara cuts Jordan to the point boundary off the first ball of the batting powerplay.
11.11am - WICKET! Mathews c Woakes b Jordan 40; SL 144/4 - Mathews top-edges a short-pitched Jordan delivery down to fine-leg where Woakes holds on. That is the breakthrough England needed as Mathews and Sangakkara added 85.
11.02am - CHANCE - Mathews smashes a full delivery back towards Jordan but the bowler cannot hand on. That was travelling.
10.56am - FIFTY! Sangakkara (81b 5x4 0x6) - Sangakkara collects a single down the ground off Moeen to move to another fifty, his eighth in 2014.
10.44am - Sangakkara lofts a flighted Moeen delivery over the infield for four. The veteran batsman is approaching a fourth consecutive half-century.
25 overs. Sri Lanka 111-3 #SLvENGpic.twitter.com/E86yRitm1p
— England Cricket (@ECB_cricket) December 10, 2014
10.41am - Sangakkara and Mathews are negotiating the spinners superbly, moving to the pitch of the ball and rotating the strike on a regular basis. A Tredwell wide, which span sharply, takes their stand to 50.
10.29am - Tredwell has a huge lbw appeal turned down against Sangakkara. England correctly opt not to review after replays show the left-hander got an inside-edge.
10.24am - Sangakkara refuses to be bogged down against Tredwell, rocking on to the back foot to cut for four and then advancing down the track to flick a full-toss through midwicket for the same result next ball.
10.18am - After drinks Tredwell, back in the side after a two-game absence, produces a beauty that turns sharply and squares Sangakkara up. Moeen is now operating at the other end.
#SLvsEng Loving the 3 wickets down. #ComeOnEngland snare the #Sanga pic.twitter.com/Ln9tr4KvZa
— Barmy Army Cricket (@TheBarmyArmy) December 10, 2014
10.05am - Cook again turns to spin, James Tredwell with ball in hand. England need to break this stand between Sangakkara and in-form captain Angelo Mathews sharpish. The tweaker starts with a maiden.
9.58am - For the second time in the innings England concede overthrows. This time Eoin Morgan is the guilty party, his direct-hit diverting the ball past mid-off for a single.
9.50am - WICKET! Jayawardene c Jordan b Woakes 2; SL 59/3 - England have another! Mahela Jayawardene is tempted into driving a wide Woakes delivery and steers into the safe hands of Jordan, positioned between second and third slip.
9.43am - WICKET! Dilshan b Jordan 35; SL 54/2 - The eighth four of the innings, hit through the covers by Dilshan, brings up the fifty partnership between this pair. But Jordan, in his first over since replacing Moeen, responds by bowling the right-hander via an inside edge.
9.33am - England skipper Alastair Cook throws the ball to Moeen Ali, who is carted over midwicket by Dilshan for four second delivery. There is some turn for the off-spinner, though.
9.26am - Woakes sees a lbw appeal against Dilshan turned down, mainly due to height, before Kumar Sangakkara cuts a wide bouncer on the up for four.
9.21am - Dilshan punishes Finn for over-pitching by driving him through the covers to collect his fourth four in just 16 balls faced.
9.13am - Dilshan shows his usual attacking intent from the off, pulling Chris Woakes and then crashing Finn through the covers for four. The latter then responds by beating the right-hander's outside edge.
9am - WICKET! Kusal c Jordan b Finn 0; SL 3/1 - Steven Finn makes a breakthrough with the third ball of the match, Kusal Perera edging the paceman to Chris Jordan at slip. Tillakaratne Dilshan had hacked Finn's first ball behind square on the leg side for three to get Sri Lanka up and running.
Pre-play news
8.57am - England make their way on to the field. Play will start in a couple of minutes. Early wickets are needed!
8.50am - Joe Root was in good spirits yesterday, taking time out from playing his ukulele to address the media. And the Yorkshireman has urged England to produce a complete performance.
8.35am - Senanayake is back for Sri Lanka, replacing Herath in their only alteration.
England: Cook, Ali, Taylor, Root, Bopara, Morgan, Buttler, Woakes, Jordan, Tredwell, Finn #SLvENG
— England Cricket (@ECB_cricket) December 10, 2014
8.30am - TOSS - England win the toss and bowl. They make two changes, Cook and James Tredwell playing instead of Alex Hales and Ben Stokes.
. @finnysteve pulls on his bowling boots #SLvENG pic.twitter.com/U5AFP9uwpS
— England Cricket (@ECB_cricket) December 10, 2014
8.24am - Spinner Rangana Herath's hamstring injury means Sri Lanka will be forced into making a change. Sachithra Senanayake, who yesterday was cleared by the ICC to resume bowling in international cricket, has been added to the squad for the next two matches.
8.20am - Skipper Alastair Cook returns from a one-match suspension as England attempt to keep the seven-match series alive after the hosts’ five-wicket win in Colombo on Sunday moved them 3-1 ahead.
8.15am - Good morning and welcome to live coverage of the fifth one-day international between Sri Lanka and England in Kandy.
Hello from Pallekele for our must-win game against Sri Lanka. Another scorcher at this pretty venue. #SLvENG pic.twitter.com/Ot2cTuhZF9
— England Cricket (@ECB_cricket) December 10, 2014