DISAPPOINTED England had to settle for a stalemate at a rainy Rose Bowl, but could still console themselves with npower series victory over Sri Lanka.

Captain Andrew Strauss admitted his team arrived with high hopes yesterday morning that they could bowl Sri Lanka out quickly enough, from an overnight 112 for three, to win the third and final Test.

Instead, they ran into an ultra-determined and highlyskilled Kumar Sangakkara – whose 119 underpinned a total of 334 for five by the time forecast rain duly arrived at teatime to wash out any remaining proceedings.

By then, England knew they were not going to double their series advantage anyway after Sangakkara and Thilan Samaraweera (87no) had shared a stand of 141 and extended Sri Lanka’s lead to that same number.

England, for whom Chris Tremlett had been such a driving force with six first-innings wickets on his former home ground, had only fleeting opportunities to break Sri Lanka resistance a second time.

Strauss said: ‘‘We just couldn’t create chances.

‘‘We had that one chance against (Rangana) Herath that was put down – that might have made a slight difference.

‘‘Having looked very threatening in the first innings, the wicket was a bit more placid today – and two good players got stuck in ‘‘They’re allowed to bat well; they’re a good batting side.’’ Yesterday’s anti-climax was uncannily appropriate in a series which has lost an astounding 369 overs to rain.

When England suddenly produced a victory surge from nowhere at an almost as wet Cardiff in the first Test, it seemed a remarkable bonus.

But that one session of crazy cricket has turned out to be all there was, officially, between these two teams over the past month.

Strauss, meanwhile, will play against India for Somerset next month as part of his preparation for the fourmatch npower Test series against the world’s best team.

The England captain will switch counties from Middlesex for one match, to face the tourists at Taunton in their three-day warm-up fixture from July 15-17 before the first Test at Lord’s a week later.