MOEEN Ali’s maiden one-day international hundred, the third-fastest in England’s history, was in vain in a 25-run defeat against Sri Lanka at the Premadasa Stadium.

Moeen (119) got England off to a brilliant start in pursuit of their highest successful run chase in this format, after Tillakaratne Dilshan (88) had underpinned the hosts’ 317-6 in the first match of seven.

But after hitting 11 fours and five sixes, the opener was sixth out with the score on 203 in the 31st over of this day-night fixture - and despite a fine hand by Ravi Bopara (65) in a near run-a-ball half-century, the equation proved beyond him.

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Bopara was last out, caught in the leg-side deep with 2.5 overs unused, and England therefore began their World Cup winter with an honourable near miss.

Captain Alastair Cook twice escaped on nought thanks to DRS, to his opposite number Angelo Mathews’ third and fourth ball of the innings, after local umpire Ruchira Palliyaguruge gave him out lbw both times.

Cook was to fall lbw nonetheless, for 10, pushing forward to the first delivery from Dilshan - and has now scored just one half-century in his last 17 ODI innings.

But Moeen had already powered England past 50 in only five overs and the left-hander kept swinging, and reached England’s second-fastest ODI 50 from 25 balls.

He and Ian Bell took the total to three figures but a rush of three wickets for 17 runs undermined England.

Bell, Joe Root, Eoin Morgan and Jos Buttler all fell quickly as England came up short.

Moeen’s hundred arrived in just 72 balls. But having been badly dropped in the deep by Jeevan Mendis on 72 off his namesake Ajantha, he eventually poked a simple return catch back to the leg-spinner.

England’s bowlers earlier had to withstand an initial barrage from Dilshan and Kusal Perera (59).

Dilshan hit 10 fours from 98 balls in a total which also featured a half-century from evergreen Mahela Jayawardene (55).

James Tredwell took two wickets in two balls and remains on a hat-trick heading into the second match in the series but ultimately the total proved too high a mountain to climb for the tourists.

Meanwhile, Australia batsman Phil Hughes remained in a “critical” condition after being struck in the head by a bouncer in a Sheffield Shield match.