ENGLAND’S hopes of an unbeaten Test summer came crashing down at the Oval as Pathum Nissanka’s unbeaten century handed Sri Lanka a deserved eight-wicket victory.

Eyeing a sixth straight win at home, and a first clean slate of wins at home since 2004, England were instead dealt a wake-up call.

The real damage had already been done with the bat, collapses of seven for 64 in their first innings and five for 26 in the second undermining England’s efforts, and an inexperienced bowling attack was unable to plug the gaps on day four.