Only losses against Australia at Brisbane in 1946-47 and West Indies at Lord's in 1973 were heavier than the innings-and-215-run margin in the Sri Lankan capital.

Michael Vaughan's men's hopes of repeating the valiant efforts in the drawn matches in Galle and Kandy were wafer-thin once they were faced with an improbable task of scoring 363 to make the Sri Lankans bat again.

Things began in the worst possible manner when, after the hosts declared following three-quarters-of-an-hour's batting on the fourth morning, Marcus Trescothick drove left-arm fast bowler Chaminda Vaas to substitute fielder Michael Vandort in the gully.

Captain Vaughan soon followed when he hit a slower ball from Dilhara Fernando straight to cover - and the Sri Lankans closed in on victory after lunch, thanks to Muttiah Muralitharan.

Nasser Hussain was adjudged caught behind from one which went the other way off the pitch - while Graham Thorpe, after a disciplined hour at the crease, and Gareth Batty were stumped off consecutive deliveries.

Hussain's departure - he has mustered only 46 runs in four innings this series - provided Murali with his 100th Test wicket on this ground, in 16 matches.

The off-spinner tempted Surrey left-hander Thorpe to go walkabout for a simple dismissal for Sangakkara, whose quick-thinking earned another scalp next ball when Batty pushed forward but failed to get any part of his boot behind the popping crease.

Former captain Sanath Jayasuriya then chipped in with two wickets, ending Mark Butcher's two-hour stay at the crease with a ball that spun out of the rough to snake through the left-hander's gate and then trapping Chris Read lbw with a quicker ball.

A partnership of 40, in just under an hour, between Andrew Flintoff and Ashley Giles ensured England made it into three figures.

But the latter fell when fast bowler Fernando returned from the tennis courts end and produced a yorker which struck the base of off-stump.

Flintoff wafted at a short-of-a-length delivery from the paceman, returning to international action after an eight-month lay-off, and was caught behind.

Murali fittingly wrapped things up when he bowled James Kirtley in the 68th over of the innings.

Sri Lanka's 628 for eight declared - their second-highest Test score - reduced the probability of another successful rearguard by the tourists.

The home side added a further 65 runs for the loss of three wickets in 10 overs today, after captain Hashan Tillekeratne declined the option of declaring at their overnight total.

Tillekeratne Dilshan continued his supreme form with 83 before he danced down the track and missed a Giles delivery, which took the left-arm spinner's wicket-haul in the series to 18.

That ended a stand of 125 in 28 overs for the sixth wicket with Upul Chandana, who failed to clear Vaughan at cover in driving Kirtley into the off-side, and fell for 76.

In between their dismissals, Vaas was unfortunate to depart when a Chandana straight blow at Giles deflected off the bowler's hand and crashed into the stumps at the non-striker's end.

However, those clutter of wickets preceded another cameo from Muralitharan, whose 21 off just 10 deliveries included two towering sixes off Giles.

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