Graeme Hick

Thorpe (13/15) kept him company at the end, and the number three bat took England home with a clinical straight hit for six, which was ending things with a real flourish. Hick walked off unbeaten on a very fluent 73 off 88, to give England an 8-wicket win with over three overs to spare.

Graeme Hick has been looking good of late, and today, he was on song from the moment he came in. Stroking fluently, running very well between wickets, Hick on the day was a busy player, keeping the board ticking over and playing pacemaker for the second wicket partnership with his captain.

His biggest contribution to the England winning effort was the way he tackled the spin of Sanath Jayasuriya and Muthiah Muralitharan, using his feet very well, stroking fluently in the V and ensuring that the spinners didn' get on top. His batting gave Stewart the right idea, and once he settled down, the singles came with effortless ease.

Thorpe (13/15) kept him company at the end, and the number three bat took England home with a clinical straight hit for six, which was ending things with a real flourish. Hick walked off unbeaten on a very fluent 73 off 88, to give England an 8-wicket win with over three overs to spare.

"We are disappointed," said Ranatunga after the match. "We lost the toss, the England bowlers used the conditions well. Kaluwitharana batted well after we were five down, we needed a good partnership but unfortunately we lost wickets at crucial points and our bowlers couldn't give us the breakthroughs we needed."