'COLDPLAY' ENGLAND HIT A BUM NOTE

Root says: "We can't be No.1 every week but ex-skippers Cook and Vaughan let rip

- GARY FITZGERALD

JOE ROOT shrugged off England's humbling final Test defeat by comparing the team to Coldplay and claiming: "We can't be No.1 every week." But two other ex-captains accused the team of being "hammered" by Sri Lanka and failing their biggest test of the summer when they finally came up against "real competition".

Sir Alastair Cook and Michael Vaughan stuck the boot in, questioning and criticizing the players' attitude and ability as hopes of a 6-0 Test summer clean sweep were wrecked by Sri Lanka.

Ollie Pope and his men were left licking their wounds on the wrong end of a nasty "reality check" in the Third Test.

Pathum Nissanka (circle, right) hit 127 and Angelo Mathews made 32 to lead the tourists to only a fourth Test win on English soil.

They also showed England you do not need to slog to get quick and important runs.

Instead of celebrating a perfect Test campaign England will now travel to face Pakistan next month with a slight sour taste in their mouth.