Sri Lanka v England: Moeen Ali and Jack Leach wrap up series win for tourists

England claimed their first series win in Sri Lanka since 2001 with a 57-run victory in the second Test.

Sri Lanka started day five in Pallekele on 226-7, needing 75 more, and calmly added 14 in 28 balls.

But Moeen Ali drew Niroshan Dickwella into edging to first slip for 35, before bowling captain Suranga Lakmal two balls later for a duck.

Jack Leach removed Malinda Pushpakumara to bowl Sri Lanka out for 243 and claim his maiden Test five-wicket haul.

England lead the three-match series 2-0, with the final Test in Colombo starting at 04:30 GMT on Friday.

It is England’s first away series win since beating South Africa in 2016 and first series victory away from home under ‘Captain Joe Root’.

Spinners took 38 wickets in the match, a record in Test cricket.

History suggested England were favourites to wrap up victory on day five, with only four teams since World War One having scored 65 or more runs with three wickets left to win a Test.

There was still plenty of trepidation among England fans that Sri Lanka could reach their target of 301, not least with the irrepressible Dickwella at the crease and capable of scoring quickly.

And when he largely shelved his attacking instincts to comfortably tap singles with Akila Dananjaya, it felt like the Test was heading for a tight and thrilling finish.

But Moeen showed skill and guile to lure Dickwella into a flashy drive, giving a full delivery more flight and dip before it turned to take the edge as Ben Stokes claimed the catch.

Moeen’s second was even better – a dream dismissal for an off-spinner – angling the ball towards slip from around the wicket and finding sharp turn to bowl Lakmal through the gate.

A magnificent Test ended in slightly anticlimactic fashion as England waited for the third umpire to confirm that Pushpakumara had not hit the ball into the ground in chipping it back to Leach, who finished with 5-83.