Sanath Jayasuriya, the Sri Lankan captain, blamed the fact that his side did not get enough runs in the first innings in the second npower Test at Edgbaston for the eventual defeat by an innings and 111 runs.

"Getting out for 162 makes it very difficult to come back. In the second innings, our batsmen got out to some good balls and they bowled very well. At the same time, some wickets were disappointing but they tried their best."

He refused to blame the toss or the conditions that favoured the English attack. "If I had won the toss I would have bowled but that is a matter of luck on the day. We can't change the conditions or the wicket and just have to play."

Despite this heavy loss, the Sri Lankan captain still believes that his team can come back at Old Trafford. "The series is open. I think it depends on how we play in the next match. We have to take our minds off this one and play a fresh match at Old Trafford."

Coach Dav Whatmore was in no doubt that Muttiah Muralitharan would play at Old Trafford and thought his performance in this game justified his selection, even though he was not fully fit.

"I think the fact that he bowled some 60 overs and took five wickets completely vindicates the decision to play him here. He has shown that he can make an impact against this opposition and I do not see any reason why he should not play in the next one."

England captain Nasser Hussain – not noted for his success with the coin – acknowledged the importance of winning the toss. "I thought we played better cricket than them and I thought we deserved to win the game and that was probably helped by the fact that I finally won an important toss.

"I would say that bowling them out for a second time for 272 on a flat wicket gave me most satisfaction. I have said before, when it gets flat we have struggled to bowl sides out," he added.

Much has been made of the fact that England have lost before when going into a final match in a series at Old Trafford with a one-nil lead. Hussain knows that it will not be easy this time.

"Out of the three Test match venues it will be the one they were looking forward to most – Muralitharan in particular. We will have to up our game and be at our best again to beat them."

It transpires that Matthew Hoggard, the man-of-the-match, was by no means certain to play in the game. He arrived at Edgbaston suffering from a lack of confidence and form, and had a long chat with his captain on the eve of the Test. Hussain is an admitted admirer of the man "who would bowl through the proverbial brick wall", but rated his chances of playing at no more than 50:50. His confidence might not have been too high after the way Hussain himself had hammered him playing for Essex against Yorkshire in a Benson and Hedges Cup quarter-final.

"We knew we needed a good swing bowler here in the conditions if it got like it did here with the humidity. There were two to chose from, Cork or Hoggard, and in the end it wasn't too difficult a decision because the younger lad will always win through and when someone has been there for you all winter like he has been and is a big trier and got a big heart, you will always stick with him.

"He still has to iron out a few technical points in his bowling. He is still not bowling how he can do. He has to go away and iron out those problems. Like everyone, he is not always playing at one hundred per cent. There is always something creeping into you game but you just have to do your best at those times and he did that in this game."

Hoggard himself was delighted with his return of seven wickets in the match, especially after his self-doubts before it.

"I was honest when I said that I was not full of confidence, so to come out of it as man-of-the-match after putting in some good performances is something to say about my character," Hoggard said. "I now feel almost back to my best. There were times when I bowled with rhythm and it's nice to come out with five wickets."

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