Bowlers set up Sri Lanka victory against Middlesex

Tillakaratne Dilshan contributed 22 runs with the bat

Sri Lanka's bowlers tore through Middlesex's top order to set up a four-wicket victory on the final day of their opening tour match at Uxbridge.

Resuming overnight on 26-1, the hosts were dismissed for 161 as seamer Chanaka Welegedara (3-39) and spinner Ajantha Mendis (3-28) led the charge.

England captain Andrew Strauss, who made 151 in the first innings, was dismissed for 25 in the second.

Chasing 213 to win, Sri Lanka reached their target just before the close.

Thilan Samaraweera (49) and Dinesh Chandimal (39) steered the tourists towards victory and, although they lost two quick wickets ton 181, Farveez Maharoof and Rangana Herath saw them past their target with five overs to spare.

Sri Lanka have one more warm-up match before the first Test against England in Cardiff on 26 May - a four-day match against the Lions at Derby starting 19 May.

Although the Lions line-up will offer greater resistance than an inexperienced Middlesex line-up missing England paceman Steve Finn, Tillakaratne Dilshan's side showcased their abundant talent with the ball.

Suranga Lakmal made the first breakthrough of the morning session when he bowled Dan Housego via an inside edge with the score at 38-2.

However, the prized wicket of Strauss followed in the next over.

The left-hander had added six to his overnight 19 when he Welegedara to gully, where Samaraweera took a comfortable catch.

Eighteen-year-old Adam Rossington avoided a pair in only his second first-class match but was soon caught behind by Chandimal, who had taken over wicketkeeping duties from Prasanna Jayawardene, as left-arm seamer Welegedara claimed his second wicket.

Stand-in skipper Dawid Malan made a confident start to his innings, reaching 34 off 41 deliveries with seven boundaries, before he edged a Maharoof delivery outside off stump into the hands of Tharanga Paranavitana at slip.

Mendis removed Dalrymple as Middlesex collapsed to 90-6, although John Simpson and Smith offered much-needed resistance with a seventh-wicket partnership of 32 before lunch.

But both men fell in quick succession after the interval as Middlesex were eventually dismissed for 161, bumped up by Anthony Ireland's quickfire 22 from 30 deliveries.

Dilshan used the run-chase to give his middle-order batsmen valuable time in the middle, although their second innings began with an early run out when when Prasanna Jayawardene was run out courtesy of Tom Parsons' direct hit at 5-1.

The absence of former captains Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene allowed Lahiru Thirimanne, uncapped at Test level, to push for inclusion at the Swalec Stadium, scoring a patient 33 before he was caught at slip by Malan in the 16th over.

Samaraweera fell one short of a deserved half century in the 24th over but Chandimal kept the scoreboard ticking over with his knock of 39.

Tharanga Paranavitana (28) and Dilshan (22) pushed the scoring along although both men fell in quick succession as Sri Lanka wobbled at 181-6.

But Maharoof and Herath ensured there were no further blushes for the tourists.