Close Sri Lanka 275 for 8 (50 overs: Arnold 80, Newaz 64, Jayasuriya 53, Harvey 4-35, Alleyne 3-46) beat Gloucestershire 182 (36.1 overs: Spearman 76, Zoysa 3-43, Fernando 3-46) Sri Lanka clinched a confidence-boosting 93-run one-day win over Gloucestershire at Bristol.

With a date with England on Thursday for the start of the NatWest Series, which also includes India, the victory over one of the best limited-overs county sides came at just the right time.

Sri Lanka were bowled out for 178 in a 63-run defeat against Somerset on Friday. However, this time around they managed 275 for 8 with Russel Arnold, a centurion in the third Test defeat by England at Old Trafford, making 80 from just 86 balls. He was ably supported by Naveed Newaz (64) in a stand of 97 for the fifth wicket. Sanath Jayasuriya also rediscovered his form with a 48-ball 53 at the top of the order.

With Muttiah Muralitharan out of the series with a shoulder injury, Sri Lanka's main concern was that their other bowlers step up and start picking up wickets. Nuwan Zoysa (3 for 43) and Dilhara Fernando (3 for 46) did just that and Gloucestershire were bowled out for 182 with more than 13 overs remaining.

Earlier Sri Lanka's innings was almost derailed by Australian one-day specialist Ian Harvey, who took 4 for 35 and was on a hat-trick after dismissing Mahela Jayawardene (42) and Chamara Silva before Nawaz saw off a full toss.

Sri Lanka play their final warm-up match against Northamptonshire on Monday (June 24) before facing England at Trent Bridge on Thursday (June 27).

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