England's bid to halt a 25-year losing run in Sri Lanka ended in another dismal defeat in Dambulla yesterday.

The series win over India three weeks ago had raised expectations that England's developing one-day line-up finally had enough in their armoury to test Sri Lanka in their own conditions.

But just like many England sides before them, Paul Collingwood's current vintage struggled to compete with their talented opponents and slipped to a comprehensive defeat.

The tourists were beaten by 119 runs, after being dismissed for 150 chasing Sri Lanka's competitive 269 for seven.

It was an inauspicious start to the five-match one-day international series and leaves England still waiting to add to their solitary victory on Sri Lankan soil.

That came in 1982, and since then their hosts have won all eight completed matches.

Sri Lanka's triumph also extended their recent record over England to one defeat in the last nine matches home and away and emphasised the gulf Collingwood's side still have to overcome before they can regard themselves as part of the world's elite.

Humbled on their two previous appearances on this ground when they were dismissed for 143 and 88, England believed the high-intensity cricket they delivered against India would be good enough to end their long wait for success in Sri Lanka.

Instead of delivering their energetic and aggressive brand of one-day cricket, however, they suffered from the same malaise which hindered their ill-fated ICC World Twenty20 campaign.

Untidy in the field - there were several misfields and two missed catches - and impatient with the bat, this was more reminiscent of the England side which lost to West Indies earlier in the summer than the one which triumphed against India.

The architect of their downfall on this occasion was seamer Farveez Maharoof, whose 22 off 12 balls propelled Sri Lanka past 250 just as wickets began to fall in the final overs.

Maharoof then ripped through England's top order, claiming three for four in 17 balls and finishing with four for 31 from an unbroken ten-over spell.

Brought on in the eighth over after Alastair Cook and Phil Mustard, the latest opening partnership, forged an encouraging stand of 43 inside eight overs, Maharoof struck immediately.

Mustard mistimed his third ball to mid-off after an enterprising 27 off 17 balls and four overs later Ian Bell was put out of his misery after failing to score off nine balls. He chased a ball which seamed away and edged behind.

In Maharoof's next over a full-length delivery jagged back in off the seam and caught the edge of Kevin Pietersen's bat. It was taken by wicketkeeper Kumar Sangakkara to leave England on 60 for three.

Maharoof completed his match-winning display by ending Cook's determined resistance in his final over, again caught behind after he had battled for 25 overs to top score with 46.

Ravi Bopara and Graeme Swann, surprisingly preferred to Monty Panesar in England's starting line-up for his first appearance in nearly eight years, halted the slide with a determined stand of 42.

Bopara survived three separate referrals to the television umpire for run-out appeals before Swann attempted to reverse sweep off-spinner Tillakaratne Dilshan and was caught at short third man.

His demise began a collapse of four wickets for six runs as Sri Lanka completed their victory with 15.1 overs remaining - their eighth successive win in completed games against England on home soil.

The architect of the hosts' competitive score was captain Mahela Jayawardene, whose 66 from 74 balls built the platform which enabled the bat to be swung in the final overs.

Jayawardene forged half-century partnerships with Sangakkara and Chamara Silva and set up Sri Lanka for what could have been a formidable total after they reached 150 for two after 30 overs.