The Sri Lankans, only two of whom played in the final Test, were fresh by contrast, with tour places to South Africa at stake. They outplayed England, nonetheless, and showed how confidence from victory in the World Cup has filtered down.

``We've no excuses,'' admitted Nick Knight, the popular captain who improved in the role with every game. ``The conditions are very demanding, though.''

Certainly, the heat and the humidity have to be experienced at first hand for any cricketer to know how tough it is to play here - Graham Gooch considers it the hardest of all Test countries.

Ultimately the enormous effort put into winning the Test series, the main priority of the tour, of course, left the players mentally and physically drained.

Whatever their condition, England's key protagonists throughout the tour again underlined their importance yesterday - in Ben Hollioake's case indirectly. His absence, due to the same groin strain he picked up in Kenya, was keenly felt.

Hollioake won the press-adjudicated Batsman of the Tour award, just ahead of Darren Maddy, who amassed 687 first-class runs on both legs of the tour. His 70 off 94 balls yesterday kept England in the game until the final five overs after a heavier defeat had appeared likely at 100 for five in the 25th over. That Maddy hit only one four showed how well he played the percentages on a slow, turning pitch against good spinners.

Ashley Giles took the bowling award for some consistently good performances. His return of three for 34, along with Dean Cosker's economy, was what stopped the Sri Lankans from making a much bigger total.

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England A Tour: Sri Lanka win by a 'wide' margin

By Geoffrey Dean in Matara

OVERCOME by fatigue both physical and mental, England A ended their tour of Sri Lanka with defeat in the third one-day international on Saturday. The hosts achieved a 3-0 whitewash, but the margin of their last victory, 41 runs, hid the fact that there was not much between the two sides apart from wides bowled.

England's tally of 13 could probably be attributed to poor concentration, brought on by tiredness after 15 days of international cricket in the last 23. The Sri Lankans, who called on more than 30 players for the unofficial Test and one-day series, bowled just one wide and were much more lively in the field. Paul Hutchison still took the catch of the match a full-length diving effort to his wrong side at mid-on.

Crucially, Sri Lanka scored 16 off the last over of their innings from Darren Maddy, who had bowled well up to then. That made their total into a very useful one on a slow, turning pitch which suited their four spinners perfectly. England, handicapped by their inability to play more than two (Jonathan Powell again being unfit), were also weakened by the absence of Ben Hollioake, who was not risked owing to a slight groin strain.

Sri Lanka used nothing but spin from the 15th over onwards. England were still going well at 98 for three in the 23rd, but at this point Steve James was out, caught at extra cover, after coming down the wicket without getting to the pitch. Two overs later Mark Ealham was caught at backward point and England looked out of it.

Ashley Giles, who had hauled his side back into the game with an excellent 10-over spell, now joined Maddy to add 61 in 15 overs. But it still left England needing 75 off the last 10, and the tail were unable to cope against some quality spin bowling led by World Cup leg spinner Upul Chandana, who finished with five wickets.

Maddy was ninth out for 70 from 94 balls, having gamely refused to accept the apparent inevitability of defeat. Adapting well to the pitch, he did little but sweep and cut, scoring at a quickish rate despite managing only one four.

Maddy, Giles and Hollioake were later singled out by coach Mike Gatting as players from the tour who could possibly progress to the senior side this summer. ``Ben was one player we were looking to progress on this trip and he's certainly done that with both the bat and the ball,'' said Gatting.

``Darren has also come through as a tough, competitive little character who works very hard at his game. And Ashley has blossomed from last year to this, making excellent progress.''