WORCESTERSHIRE’S Moeen Ali scored 58 runs off 40 balls as England finally beat Sri Lanka.

Jos Buttler helped the tourists over the line to kickstart their World Cup winter with an overdue win in the third one-day international.

In a close, rain-hit match, which finished close to midnight local time, Buttler (55 not out) and Joe Root (48no) saved the day with an unbroken stand of 84.

England suffered a mid-innings blip in pursuit of a Duckworth-Lewis target of 236 in 35 overs.

Alastair Cook’s team still have a shot at his first series victory in six attempts, having triumphed by five wickets with eight balls to spare.

They reduced the deficit to 2-1 at the Mahinda Rajapaksa International Cricket Stadium with four games to play.

The match turned on the 32nd over of England’s innings with Dhammika Prasad conceding 21 runs.

He overstepped for a no-ball with the delivery he initially thought had dismissed Root, caught at cover, on 40.

Kumar Sangakkara (63), Lahiru Thirimanne (62no) and captain Angelo Mathews helped Sri Lanka recover from an awkward start on the way to 242-8.

Moeen and Cook gave England impetus in reply after the D/L recalculation with an encouraging opening stand of 84 in less than 12 overs.

The Worcestershire all-rounder hit four sixes and two fours in his 29-ball 50.

But the captain fell to an outside-edge behind for 34 and Alex Hales, preferred to bat at three in place of the dropped Ian Bell, then failed to respond to Moeen’s call for a single wide of mid-on.

Opener Moeen was almost up at the bowler’s end before realising he was running on his own and could not regain his ground as Rangana Herath’s throw finally came in.

Hales (27) holed out at mid-on, Ravi Bopara (6) was well caught behind and Eoin Morgan’s bad run continued with a mishook for one.

But Root stayed the course with a little luck and plenty of skill, while Buttler upped the ante in his 35-ball 50.

There was an emotional backdrop to the fixture on the day of ex-Worcestershire ace Phillip Hughes’ funeral.

The Australia Test batsman suffered a fatal blow when he was hit by a bouncer in the Sheffield Shield last week.