England beat Sri Lanka by eight wickets to stay No.1 in Test cricket

England have retained their position as the number one team in Test cricket after beating Sri Lanka by eight wickets in Colombo.

                         Kevin Pietersen (left) hugs England teammate Alastair Cook after scoring the winning runs to beat Sri Lanka by eight wickets 

Andrew Strauss' men headed into the day needing to take Sri Lanka's final four wickets as cheaply as possible, before chasing down the total in order to tie the two-match series and remain at the top of the tree in Test cricket.

They were eventually set a target of 94 to win after Graeme Swann took two wickets on the day - and a five-for in the match - while Samit Patel and Steve Finn bagged one apiece to bowl out the hosts for 278.

Graeme Swann (far left) celebrates the wicket of Sri Lanka's Thilan Samaraweera

Despite the modest chase, England fans will no doubt have cast their minds back to their humiliating defeat at the hands of Pakistan in Abu Dhabi earlier this year, when they were skittled for just 72 after being set only 145 for victory.

And they suffered an early scare when captain Strauss was bowled in the first over by Tillakaratne Dilshan.

England captain Andrew Strauss is dismissed by Sri Lanka's Tillakaratne Dilshan

Jonathan Trott was out lbw to Rangana Herath shortly thereafter for five to prompt furtive glances around the England dressing room. 

However, Alastair Cook's determined 49 and a rapid 42 from just 28 deliveries from in-form batsman Kevin Pietersen saw the tourists home - the latter hammering a six over mid-wicket for the winning runs.