Shah is England hero

Owais Shah provided England with the touch and guile required to claim a famous triumph and earn their first one-day international victory in Sri Lanka for 25 years.

Born in Karachi but raised in England from a young age, Shah demonstrated an ease in sub-continental conditions to hit a match-winning 82 off 92 balls.

Shah's composure helped England recover from a shaky 61 for four to reach a competitive 234 for eight before Sri Lanka were dismissed for 169 to seal the 65-run triumph.

Unable to take advantage of the early powerplays after the loss of their top four inside the first 19 overs, the responsibility was left to the middle order - and, unlike Monday, this time they paced themselves perfectly.

Shah and Paul Collingwood kept the scoreboard ticking over instead of looking for boundaries - at one stage, the pair went 11 overs without a boundary during a 78-run stand off 99 balls before Collingwood hit two fours off Sanath Jayasuriya.

Collingwood perished playing across the line to Dilhara Fernando and was given lbw for a determined 42 off 50 balls, and Ravi Bopara fell in the next over - but Shah found the perfect tempo.

Getting enthusiastic support from Graeme Swann the pair added a crucial 70 off 69 balls to take England past the 200-barrier and give them a chance of causing an upset.

England were immediately able to put their talented hosts under pressure following an outstanding opening spell from Ryan Sidebottom, who frustrated Sri Lanka's free-scoring batsmen with a spell of 8-2-18-2.

He struck with his second ball, tempting Upal Tharanga into driving outside off-stump and edging to Alastair Cook at second slip, and Kumar Sangakkara made only a scratchy nine off 37 balls before edging Stuart Broad behind, and Broad also removed Chamara Silva with a bouncer.

Mahela Jayawardene and Tillakaratne Dilshan forged a 52-run stand before Swann was introduced and he had an immediate impact, turning his third delivery past Dilshan to clip his off-stump, and Collingwood snared Jayawardene and Swann removed Farveez Maharoof to push home the advantage.