REALITY CHECK

Off-key England hammered as Nissanka secures famous win

- Gary Fitzgerald

JOE ROOT shrugged off England's humbling final Test defeat by comparing the team to Coldplay, saying: "We can't be No.1 every week."

But two other former captains slammed the hosts for getting "hammered" by Sri Lanka and failing their biggest test of the summer, when they finally faced "real competition".

Sir Alastair Cook and Michael Vaughan both criticised the players' attitude and ability as England failed to wrap up a 6-0 Test clean sweep.

Ollie Pope and his men were left licking their wounds as they received a nasty "reality check" at The Oval, with the adulation of winning the first five games of the summer giving way disappointment and to soul-searching.