England just avoided a record low as they collapsed spectacularly to 88 all out against Sri Lanka in the first one-dayer on Tuesday.

The visitors, who had gambled by electing to bat first on a damp pitch with a history of low scores, were skittled in 46.1 overs.

Left-arm seamer Chaminda Vaas took three for 15 off 9.1 overs. Sri Lanka then raced to 26 without loss off five overs before lunch and completed the win with 36.1 overs to spare.

It was England's lowest total against Sri Lanka -- they were bowled out for 143 at the same venue in 2001 -- but a last-wicket stand of 21 saw them scrape past their all-time low of 86, recorded against Australia at Old Trafford in 2001.

Paul Collingwood, who chiselled out 31 from 96 balls, was the only top-order batsman to pass double figures as England struggled against the moving ball.

Number nine Ashley Giles was the one other player to reach double figures, eking out 21 from 53 balls on the tricky surface before Mahela Jayawardene completed a spectacular slip catch to end the innings.

Sri Lanka's decision to select two uncapped pace bowlers, Nuwan Kulasekera and Dinusha Fernando, paid off as the pair claimed two wickets apiece during impressive opening bursts.

Fernando, 24, who had been a surprise selection ahead of the more experienced Nuwan Zoysa, took two for 13 from seven overs while Kulasekera finished with two for 19 from nine.

Fernando swung the new ball as he dismissed debutant Andrew Strauss, who he caught and bowled, and Michael Vaughan, who was bowled off an inside edge.

MOUNTING PRESSURE

The whippy Kulasekera, 22, bowled an impeccable line and length, removing all rounders Rikki Clarke and Ian Blackwell who was athletically pouched by Tillakaratne Dilshan at point.

But it was the experienced Vaas who turned the game emphatically towards the home team, as he dismissed Marcus Trescothick and Andrew Flintoff, followed by Giles.

Trescothick skied a catch to mid-on to be dismissed for nine as he tried to relieve the mounting pressure.

All rounder Flintoff, who had enjoyed a golden run in Bangladesh with three man-of-the-match awards, mistimed a cover drive to be caught at cover for three.

Seven batsmen failed to get past four.

For the hosts, Sanath Jayasuriya smashed 46 from 41 balls, clubbing six fours and a six, and Romesh Kaluwitharana smacked and equally entertaining 36 from 42 balls with seven fours.

England were whitewashed 3-0 in the one-dayers on their last visit to Sri Lanka in 2001.

The lowest total in a one-dayer was 36 by Canada, also against Sri Lanka, in the World Cup at Paarl earlier this year.

Scoreboard

M.Trescothick c Kulasekera b Vaas 9
A.Strauss c and b Dinusha Fernando 3
M.Vaughan b Kulasekera 2
P.Collingwood c and b Chandana 31
A.Flintoff c Sangakkara b Vaas 3
R.Clarke b Kulasekera 2
I.Blackwell c Dilshan b Kulasekera 3
C.Read c Jayawardene b Chandana 0
A.Giles c Jayawardene b Vaas 21
R.Johnson b Muralitharan 6
J.Anderson not out 4.

Extras: (w-4) 4.

Total: (all out, 46.1 overs) 88

Fall of wickets: 1-8, 2-12, 3-17, 4-26, 5-36, 6-44, 7-45, 8-59, 9-67

Bowling: Vaas 9.1-2-15-3, Dinusha Fernando 7-2-13-2 (w-1), Muralitharan 10-0-15-1 (w-1), Kulasekera 9-1-19-2 (w-1), Chandana 10-1-23-2 (w-1), S. Jayasuriya 1-0-3-0.

Sri Lanka:
S.Jayasuriya not out 46
R.Kaluwitharana not out 36.

Extras: (w-7) 7.

Total: (for no wicket, 13.5 overs) 89

Did not bat: M.Atapattu, K.Sangakkara, M.Jayawardene, T.Dilshan, U.Chandana, C.Vaas, N.Kulasekera, D.Fernando, M.Muralitharan.

Bowling: J.Anderson 5-0-25-0, R.Johnson 3-1-17-0, A.Flintoff 3.5-0-27-0, R.Clarke 2-0-20-0

Result: Sri Lanka won by 10 wickets