Cricket: Muralitharan sends England to record defeat

ENGLAND crashed to their third-heaviest defeat in Test history as Sri Lanka completed a series-deciding victory inside four days at the SSC.

Only losses to Australia in Brisbane in 1946-47 and the West Indies at Lord’s 30 years ago came by greater margins than the innings and 215 run difference between the two teams in the Sri Lankan capital.

Muttiah Muralitharan gave a superb display of spin bowling, the mystery spinner bagging 4-63.