England outclassed in heavy defeat by Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka 137-1 (17.2 overs) England 136-9 (20 overs)

Stuart Broad's reign as England's Twenty20 captain began with a heavy defeat as Sri Lanka coasted to a nine-wicket victory at Bristol.

Broad, leading his country for the first time, saw his side fail to capitalise on an 83-run stand between Eoin Morgan and Kevin Pietersen as they faltered to a disappointing 136 for nine.

The tourists, largely outclassed in a rain-affected Test series, showed their limited-overs credentials as Mahela Jayawardene (72 not out) and Kumar Sangakkara (43no) saw them home with 16 balls to spare.

England, meanwhile, saw their new era dogged by old problems as Pietersen's innings was ended once again by a slow left-armer and Samit Patel's international comeback left a sour taste.

Patel, two and a half years in exile due to concerns over his weight and work-rate, announced his return in dreadful fashion, looking at worst lazy and at best lethargic as he was run out for a duck at the striker's end.

Chasing a sub-par total, Sri Lanka milked 14 off the first two overs, bowled by a rookie new-ball attack of debutant Jade Dernbach and Chris Woakes.

The latter saw his second over leak 17, Jayawardene plundering two fours and a six off the first three balls.

Broad, looking to swing the momentum, brought himself on and was promptly taken for eight, including Sanath Jayasuriya's first four.

The 41-year-old became Dernbach's first international wicket in the fifth over, finding Pietersen at mid-off.

Jayawardene continued to fire, ensuring his side's powerplay total of 54 for one comfortably exceeded England's 33 for two.

Sangakkara picked off a handful of singles before taking two boundaries off the eighth over, an innocuous second from Patel.

His two overs cost 18 to complete an unhappy day for the Nottinghamshire all-rounder.

After 10 overs, the tourists had 80 on the board and looked comfortable.

Jayawardene moved serenely to 50 off 40 deliveries, finally showing the class that deserted throughout the Test series.

Seven runs off the 13th over, bowled by Dernbach, eased Sri Lanka into three figures as Broad's changes failed to alter the flow of the game.

Sangakkara flexed his muscles with a short-arm pull for four off Graeme Swann and Jayawardene deflected Woakes over the wicketkeeper's head as the runs continued to come with ease.

Broad returned with six needed and duly conceded them off his first two balls as Jayawardene deservedly picked up the winning runs.

The partnership between Morgan and Pietersen aside, England's innings - conducted without the dropped Ian Bell - was almost entirely devoid of inspiration.

Patel's comical dismissal and Pietersen's continuing struggles with left-arm spin were the most obvious focal points but there were disappointments throughout.

The decision to restore Michael Lumb and Craig Kieswetter - England's World Twenty20-winning opening pair - at the top of the order backfired almost immediately.

Lumb, who had not played for England since the final of that competition, skied one off Suranga Lakmal in the second over and Nuwan Kulasekara sent Kieswetter back soon after.

Between them they contributed six runs.

Morgan (47) and Pietersen (41) rebuilt impressively, scoring at a good rate to set the foundations for what should have been a much larger total.

Morgan was off the mark with a steepling straight six off Lakmal - and hammered two more maximums off successive full tosses from Thisara Perera.

Pietersen's knock occupied just 27 balls, with three fours and two sixes of his own, including another off the wayward Perera and a flat blow off Suraj Randiv.

Morgan had one life on 23 when Angelo Mathews shelled him in the deep.

The left-hander fell three short of his half-century, held by Jayawardene off Lasith Malinga, looking for another boundary.

Pietersen followed moments after England brought up the 100 in the 13th over, bowled by his first legitimate ball against Jayasuriya's left-arm spin.

There was just one boundary in the last eight overs as Sri Lanka's bowlers controlled things with regular wickets.

Patel's was the most needless, but Luke Wright, Ravi Bopara and Woakes all came and went without making an impression, while captain Broad was run out off the final ball of the innings.