Sri Lanka beat England by an innings and 28 runs in the opening test today after England lost eight wickets for 68 runs to end the match just after lunch on the final day.
Resuming 99 behind on 118 for two, the tourists knew they needed to bat all day to salvage anything from the match and travel to Kandy for the second test on March on level terms.
But after losing three vital wickets before lunch, England's final five wickets fell in only 10.3 overs after the interval - producing their first defeat since losing against West Indies at Edgbaston eight tests ago.
They had begun the final day with opener Michael Atherton, who already battled for over four hours for his 44, shouldering the responsibility of guiding their survival battle.
Pushing forward to a swinging delivery from left-arm seamer Chaminda Vaas, Atherton edged behind and wicketkeeper Kumar Sangakkara claimed the catch after diving forward.
But as Atherton walked back to the dressing room, television replays apparently showed the ball had bounced in front before Sangakkarra collected it in his gloves.
Graham Thorpe and Alec Stewart dug in and attempted to steer England safely through to lunch but it only delayed the inevitable with the Sri Lankan spinners wrapping up an emphatic victory only 54 minutes after the restart. PA