James Anderson dismantles dismal Sri Lanka

An Old Trafford decider, therefore, beckons on Saturday, after James Anderson did most to derail Sri Lanka for only 174 and then captain Cook answered his critics again.

His and Craig Kieswetter's record opening stand was interrupted by a heavy shower at 55 in under eight overs, and the threat of more rain was the only conceivable danger to England - who knew 20 overs of their innings were mandatory to constitute a result in a match they dominated throughout.

But in pursuit of a revised target of 171, Cook (95 not out) followed up last weekend's Lord's century as he and Kieswetter (72no) ensured any doubt about the outcome was merely fleeting on the way to ten-wicket margin - with an astounding 24.1 overs to spare.

Anderson (three for 24) had shone again, on his most productive international ground, as England's seamers hustled Sri Lanka out in only 43.4 overs.

Three of Sri Lanka's top five went for six runs between them to Anderson, at the venue where he took 11 for 71 against Pakistan in last summer's Test series. Kumar Sangakkara (75) then dug in to rescue a still under-par total, after his team had been put in and lurched to 57 for five.

Anderson took his one-day international tally to 14 wickets in Nottingham - the best by anyone here - and Tim Bresnan also shifted danger man Mahela Jayawardene cheaply with the new ball.

Tillakaratne Dilshan was first to go, for a fourth-ball duck, via a thin edge behind as Anderson immediately found swing and away movement off the pitch too in his first over. Jayawardene was undone at the other end by Bresnan, edging another that left him low to slip.

Young No 3 Dinesh Chandimal then achieved cricket's hero-to-zero feat, following his match-winning unbeaten Lord's hundred with a duck when Anderson got one to hold its line and pin him lbw pushing forward. Thilina Kandamby became the fourth consecutive departure for a single-figure score when he edged exaggerated movement off the seam to be caught at second slip by Graeme Swann.

Much, therefore, depended on Sangakkara, joined by a promoted Suraj Randiv. The latter, listed to come in at ten, belied that billing in a useful stand of 37 which bought Angelo Mathews some time before he would have to contend with the moving ball.

Sri Lanka were even tempted into powerplay on 157 for seven at the 40-over stage.But too much early damage had been done - and Jade Dernbach (three for 38) made the most of favourable circumstances to take the last three wickets in only ten balls.

Cook and Kieswetter had one eye on the threatening skies, but fixed both on the ball at the crucial moments as they each unleashed a flurry of boundaries.

Cook's 37-ball 50 contained ten - and after taking the batting powerplay as soon as it was available, the century stand was up in the 14th over.

Kieswetter completed his 48-ball half-century with a slog-swept six off Randiv.

But, even after Kieswetter's late hitting left him short of his third ODI hundred, it was surely Cook who had most reason for satisfaction after making a mockery of his previously modest limited-overs strike rate.

Sri Lanka Innings

DPM Jayawardene c Trott b Bresnan9

TM Dilshan c Kieswetter b Anderson0

LD Chandimal lbw b Anderson0

KC Sangakkara c Morgan b Dernbach75

SHT Kandamby c Swann b Anderson6

S Randiv c Kieswetter b Broad18

AD Mathews c & b Bresnan39

BMA Mendis c Kieswetter b Broad11

KMD Kulasekara lbw b Dernbach5

SL Malinga b Dernbach0

RAS Lakmal not out1

Extras (lb5, w5)10

Total (43.4 overs)174

Fall: 1-1, 2-10, 3-11, 4-20, 5-57, 6-129, 7-155, 8-163, 9-163.

Bowling: Anderson 8-1-24-3; Bresnan 9-0-39-2; Broad 8-0-37-2; Dernbach 8.4-1-38-3; Swann 10-2-31-0.

England Innings

AN Cook not out95

C Kieswetter not out72

Extras (w4)4

Total (0 wkts, 23.5 overs)171

Bowling: Kulasekara 3.5-0-36-0; Malinga 5-0-28-0; Lakmal 2-0-12-0; Mathews 3-0-22-0; Randiv 5-0-32-0; Dilshan 3-0-21-0; Mendis 2-0-20-0.

England bt Sri Lanka by 10 wkts (D/L Method)