Sri Lanka edged England in a thrilling finish Wednesday to win a Super 8s match by two runs and take a huge step toward the Cricket World Cup semifinals.

Sri Lanka spinners Sanath Jayasuriya, Muttiah Muralitharan and Tillekeratne Dilshan restricted England in the middle of the innings, before a quick-fire seventh-wicket partnership of 87 between Ravi Bopara and Paul Nixon gave England an unexpected chance.

Sri Lanka's captain, Mahela Jayawardena, celebrates at the end of its victory, by two runs, over England in their Super 8s match of the Cricket World Cup in St. Peter's, Antigua, on Wednesday.
(Andres Leighton/Associated Press)

Nixon was eventually out for 42 in the penultimate over and England needed three off the last ball.

Seamer Dilhara Fernando bowled Ravi Bopara for 52 to make it 233 for eight and clinch victory.

Fernando finished with three wickets for 41, while Lasith Malinga took 2-50.

"When we got those wickets in the middle period, we were happy to go through their middle order," Sri Lanka captain Mahela Jayawardene said. "But they had an extra batsman and that almost paid off today."

Sajid Mahmood took four wickets and Andrew Flintoff took three for England, before their openers failed again at 11-2. The team scored slowly against a tight attack as the pitch became less friendly, until Nixon and Bopara put on the late burst.

"I had a quick chat with Nicko about knocking it about," Bopara said. "He said that if we knocked it about for the next 10 or 15 overs, we'll see where we're at for the last five.

"We went that way, but it's hard to score five or six an over."

'It wasn't to be': Vaughan says

England captain Michael Vaughan saluted Bopara and Nixon for almost capturing a victory his team badly needed.

"For Ravi and Paul to get us so close toward the end, I always felt they were going to get us over the line," Vaughan said. "It wasn't to be, but the players can be very proud of the way they played today."

England now heads into Sunday's crucial game against defending champion Australia knowing another loss could spell the end of its hopes of reaching the semifinal.

Sri Lanka joined co-leaders Australia and New Zealand on six points in the Super 8s standings, while England languishes behind fourth-place South Africa on two.

A third-wicket stand between Upul Tharanga and Jayawardene was the cornerstone of Sri Lanka's 235. Tharanga made 62 and Jayawardene 56 in a 91-run stand that, despite being below par for the 1996 champions, proved to be enough.

England started well when captain Michael Vaughan won the toss and Mahmood dismissed star opener Jayasuriya and No. 3 Kumar Sangakkara.

The 37-year-old Jayasuriya, who hit 82 in 44 balls to lead Sri Lanka to victory over England in the 1996 World Cup, raced to 25 before Mahmood caught the bottom of his bat and the ball lifted up to hit the top of the wicket.

Sangakkara was then caught unawares by a slow full toss from Mahmood and caught out for 17.

The 22-year-old Tharanga made his seventh one-day half century but the third-wicket stand was broken when Flintoff lured Tharanga into a mistimed pull that Kevin Pietersen caught.

Jayawardene reached his half century soon after but was out when a slog to mid wicket off Paul Collingwood went straight to Joyce on the boundary.

Ian Bell then ran out Dilshan with a direct hit at the non-striker's end, and Flintoff got rid of Chamara Silva and Chaminda Vaas in the same over to finish with 3-35.

Mahmood had Lasith Malinga and Russel Arnold caught in the final over, finishing with 4-47, and Fernando was run out after a smart throw by Pietersen.

2 unlucky dismissals

Chasing a reasonably low total, England's openers again failed to give their team a platform, but the team was the victim of two unlucky dismissals.

Vaughan was given out by umpire Billy Bowden caught behind, although replays showed the ball brushed his thigh, and Bell was run out for 47 after his bat bounced up as he grounded it.

Jayasuriya stooped to deflect a shot from his own bowling by Pietersen and Bell's bat bounced just as the ball hit the wicket.

Pietersen, ranked one-day cricket's top batsman, hit 58 for his 14th one-day half century before he got a leading edge and was caught and bowled by a jubilant Muralitharan.

Flintoff and Collingwood both were out to seamer Dilhara Fernando in the 34th over, and England had lost three wickets for 32 off eight overs to sit at 133-6 with the tail exposed.