England were short of runs, and appropriate bowling skills, as Kumar Sangakkara helped Sri Lanka to a six-wicket win in the fourth one-day international at the Premadasa Stadium.
James Taylor's breakthrough innings of 90, in just his third ODI and first in 15 months, was the major contribution in a patchy 265 all out. Stand-in captain Eoin Morgan (62) did his best too to try to salvage a par total after choosing to bat on a dry pitch.
But it did not quite stretch the hosts, Sangakkara (86) sharing a stand of 96 with Mahela Jayawardene and Angelo Mathews finishing the job with an unbeaten 51 – farming an attack surprisingly loaded towards seam rather than spin – to keep Sri Lanka always just ahead of the game.
Whereas they used 36 overs of spin, Morgan had only 10 available to him from a frontline slow bowler – and Sangakkara took routine advantage, easing past his third successive half-century and hitting seven fours in all from 105 balls.
England were flattered that victory came with only two balls to spare – and from 3-1 down, they must win all the remaining fixtures if they are to somehow start their World Cup winter with a series success.
Taylor found himself at the crease in the second over after Alex Hales' early departure from his and Moeen Ali's new alliance at the top of the order in the absence of Alastair Cook.
The diminutive number three responded sensibly and then expansively with six fours and two sixes from 109 balls – before Morgan's first ODI 50 in 14 attempts, stretching back almost 11 months, mitigated against the anti-climax around him.
England descended from 170 for three as Rangana Herath, Tillekeratne Dilshan and Ajantha Mendis each took three wickets.
But Morgan held his nerve for a big finish, completing his 42-ball half-century with a slog-sweep for the first of two successive sixes at the start of the last over from Dilshan.
Hales, pushed up to open in place of Cook who was serving a one-match ban for an over-rate offence, lasted just one legitimate delivery.
After an initial wide, Dhammika Prasad had him edging a drive to slip.
Moeen went on a premeditated charge in Dilshan's first over, never made the pitch of the ball and was stumped when it turned away. But Taylor settled, and proved it with a trademark whip high over straight midwicket for six and then a pulled four in Thisara Perera's first over.
He and Joe Root often found the field but scurried effectively, and established a good tempo with some big shots in between.
The Yorkshireman then missed one of his favourite slog-sweeps, at the wrong ball perhaps, and was bowled by Herath to end a third-wicket stand of 93.
But Taylor, past his 50 after needing DRS on 35 to prove he had got a bottom edge on a sweep at Jeevan Mendis and overturn an lbw decision, pressed on with Ravi Bopara.
A maiden international hundred was in his sights, although he was increasingly troubled by cramp, when the powerplay was taken.
Instead, trying to go inside-out over the off side ring rather than his favoured leg, he chipped a simple catch to cover off Ajantha.
When Bopara was bowled by one that kept very low from Dilshan, Morgan and Jos Buttler were in a tough spot without a run between them.
The upshot was a moderate powerplay, after which Buttler was caught at long on off Herath. England fell short of expectations, after their mid-innings promise, despite Morgan's considerable best efforts.
The tourists needed to make early inroads in Sri Lanka's reply.
Chris Woakes delivered, Morgan's attempt to stifle Dilshan with a packed ring field bringing a mistimed thrash at a short ball which spiralled up to the captain at mid off. Moeen then removed Kusal Perera, edging an attempted drive to slip.
But Sangakkara and Jayawardene then took over. In their element, they did not need to take risks as Ben Stokes in particular again proved a weak link with the ball – capable of just two overs, which cost 21 runs.
Jaywardene missed his half-century, edging on to Chris Jordan, and Sangakkara was appalled with himself when he crashed the same bowler straight to deep cover to fall short of a 20th ODI hundred and put a little unexpected pressure on his captain Mathews.
But if that kept English hopes alive, it was always a long shot for the tourists – especially after Hales capped his poor day by dropping Mathews off Chris Jordan, tumbling at third man, when the game was almost up anyway.
