Toss: England. Sri Lanka continued their glorious ascent, while England sank ignominiously; they had never been knocked out before the semi-finals in the five previous World Cups. They were all but dead by the time Jayasuriya departed at 113 for one, virtually halfway to Sri Lanka's target of 236, in their 13th over. Jayasuriya had thumped 82 off 44 balls, with three sixes and 13 fours. He was most savage on the left-arm spin of Illingworth, whom he hit for four successive fours, and the seam of DeFreitas, whose second over went for 22. DeFreitas was withdrawn, having conceded 32 in 12 balls; later, he bowled some tidy off-spin, but by then there was nothing to play for. England's only real breakthrough came in the second over when Illingworth, opening the attack in an attempt to surprise the Sri Lankans, got Kaluwitharana third ball – he had hit the first two for fours. Jayasuriya's spree was finally ended when the third umpire gave him out stumped, one delivery after Reeve bowled him with a no-ball. De Silva and the rest could not keep up his momentum, but still won with nine overs in hand. Atherton had elected to bat, hoping for 300, though even that might not have withstood the Sri Lankan assault. As it was, only DeFreitas, promoted to No. 5, managed the sustained aggression necessary. He hit 67 from 64 balls, his maiden one-day fifty for England, with two big sixes and five fours, and looked a little unlucky to be out lbw to Jayasuriya. The run-out of Smith – also by the ubiquitous Jayasuriya, with a direct hit – was still more controversial, even after the third umpire's judgment. With the middle order crumbling, only a 62-run stand by Reeve and Gough took England past 200.

Man of the Match: S. T. Jayasuriya.

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