Colombo, Sri Lanka: Sri Lanka thrashed England by 87 runs in the seventh and final one-day international to win the series 5-2 on Tuesday as Tillakaratne Dilshan starred with bat and ball, smashing his 18th hundred and snaring three wickets.
Electing to bat first, Sri Lanka posted 302-6 thanks to Dilshan's 101 off 124 deliveries, Dinesh Chandimal's unbeaten 55, and an aggressive 26-ball 54 from Thisara Perera.
England's reply started badly, with Moeen Ali out for a duck in the second over, and fellow opener and captain Alastair Cook dismissed for 32 at 51-3. Joe Root easily stood out with 80 in a lost cause, as England was bundled out for 215 in 45.5 overs.
The last England wicket James Tredwell (17) was fittingly taken by Mahela Jayawardene, off a stumping by Kumar Sangakkara, in their last ODI at home.
"It was too many runs for us to chase. It's been a tough tour but people have come through personally," Cook said after the match.
"We've worked incredibly hard, left everything on the pitch but haven't been good enough."
Sri Lanka used the successful ploy of opening the bowling with spinners and was soon rewarded when Ali was trapped lbw by offspinner Dilruwan Perera. Alex Hales fell to an ambitious shot, skying a catch to Seekkuge Prasanna to open Dilshan's wicket account. Cook was caught by Jayawardene at slip off seamer Suranga Lakmal.
England had been reduced to 78-5 when Root combined with Jos Buttler (23) for a 48-run partnership and then with Chris Woakes (34) for 66 runs. But the rally was not good enough to prevent defeat.
Root faced 99 deliveries and hit five boundaries before being trapped lbw by legspinner Prasanna.
Dilshan took three for 37 in 10 overs while Prasanna took three for 35 in eight overs. Lakmal had 2-25.
Earlier, opening batsman Dilshan hit nine boundaries and a six in his 124-ball innings, after the relative failures of fellow opener Jayawardene and Sangakkara.
Dilshan shared 80 runs for the third wicket with Chandimal, who was unbeaten on 55 off 50 deliveries.
After Dilshan was out hitting fast bowler Chris Jordan to deep midwicket, two balls after reaching his century in the 44th over. Perera hit seven boundaries and a six, and dominated a 63-run partnership with Chandimal for the fifth wicket off just 35 deliveries.
Jayawardene was out for 28 when he hit left-arm fast bowler Harry Gurney straight to long leg. Sangakkara, who has been imperious throughout the series, also threw away his wicket, sending a full toss to midwicket on 33.
Sangakkara has four half-centuries and a century in the series, and is the leading scorer with 454 runs at an average of 75.
Dilshan follows him with 357 runs at an average of 51 and he has 12 wickets to his credit earning him the player of the series award. He was also named player of Tuesday's game.
Dilshan said after the match that he plans to continue playing for two more years.
Sangakkara and Jayawardene are to retire from limited-overs cricket after next year's World Cup. Jayawardene has already retired from tests.
Offspinner Ali returned the best bowling figures of 2-39. Fast bowler Jordan had 2-55.
