Man-of-the-match Muthiah Muralitharan addresses the crowd

Spin king Muthiah Muralitharan bamboozled England's batsmen, claiming nine second innings wickets to give the shy 26-year-old match figures of 16 wickets for 220 runs off 113.5 overs - the fifth best in Test cricket.

The result spoiled an encouraging summer for Alec Stewart's men following their 2-1 series win over South Africa.

And it sweetly justified Sri Lanka's claim that they should have been given more than just a one-off Test.

Sri Lanka win the Test Match by 10 wickets

Muralitharan's second innings figures of 9-65 were also a slap in the face for England coach David Lloyd, who had questioned the spinner's action.

"I'm very proud," said the spinner. "Before I came here my ambition was to take five wickets in a Test match in England."

Stewart admitted: "We've had a good summer but this takes some of the gloss off it.

"Muralitharan bowled out of his skin. You can never get on top of him. He's something special, in a different league."

Sri Lanka's veteran captain Arjuna Ranatunga said: "This will be the last time I captain in England and it's good to go out with a victory."

England crumbled again after starting the day on 54-2 - still 92 short of making the tourists bat again.

Mark Ramprakash and Darren Gough fought hard but their eighth-wicket partnership only delayed the inevitable.

Darren Gough is clean bowled leaving Sri Lanka 36 to win

And when Muralitharan bowled Gough for 15 to wrap up the innings for just 181, Sri Lanka needed only 36 to win. That took just five overs.

Muralitharan dismissed every England batsman except captain Stewart- who was run out for 32 after a spectacular direct throw from Upul Chandana.

Opener Steve James (25) was the first victim of the day, caught at silly mid-off by Mahela Jayawardene, before John Crawley (14) was bowled with the last ball before lunch.

Ben Hollioake then fell leg-before off the first ball after the break for nought and Dominic Cork (8) was caught behind for Muralitharan's 13th wicket of the match in the 84th over.

John Crawley is clean bowled on the last ball before lunch

Ian Salisbury (0) then quickly followed, dismissed lbw off a turning delivery in the same over.

Stewart and James had initially steadied the innings, taking England to 78, despite Aravinda de Silva dropping Stewart in the 50th over.

England have little time to lick their wounds. The squad for the Ashes tour to Australia is announced on Tuesday - and there will be hard thought about how to play another top class spinner, Shane Warne.

Scorecard

England: (1st innings) 445

Second innings:

M Butcher st Kaluwitharana b Muralitharan 15
S James c Jayawardene b Muralitharan 25
G Hick lbw Muralitharan 0
A Stewart run out 32
M Ramprakash c Kaluwitharana b Muralitharan 41
J Crawley b Muralitharan 14
B Hollioake lbw Muralitharan 0
D Cork c Kaluwitharana b Muralitharan 8
I Salisbury lbw Muralitharan 0
D Gough b Muralitharan 15
A R C Fraser not out 0

Extras: 30
Total: 181

Bowling: Pramodaya Wickramasinghe 4-0-16-0, Suresh Perera 11-2-22-0 (1w), Muttiah Muralitharan 54.2-27-65-9 (14nb), Kumara Dharmasena 19.3-13-12-0, Sanath Jayasuriya 28-14-3

Sri Lanka 1st innings: 585

Second innings:

S T Jayasuriya not out 24
M S Atapattu not out 9

Extras: 4
Total: 37

Bowling: Fraser 2-0-19-0; Cork 2-0-3-0; Hollioake 1-0-11-0.