Even when England put what looks like a challenging score on the board they are still brushed aside with contemptuous ease. Not for the first time in this World Cup they seemed like boys in the men’s world of modern one-day cricket. Sri Lanka, with the imperious Kumar Sangakkara to the fore, cruised to their target of 310 here in such a ridiculously easy manner that England appeared just as far away from competing in this tournament as they did when they were thrashed by Australia and New Zealand. It is frightening how far away England seem from the real challengers in this World Cup, astonishing how far they have been left behind in 50-over cricket since they should have won the Champions Trophy less than two years ago. VIDEO Scroll down to watch Cricket World Cup Highlights: England vs Sri Lanka . Kumar Sangakkara survives a run out chance against England's Eoin Morgan and James Anderson . Steven Finn and James Taylor show their disappointment after England's third loss of the tournament . Lahiru Thirimanne (left) and Kumar Sangakkara helped Sri Lanka to a comfortable win over England . Thirimanne plays a shot on the way to scoring a century as Sri Lanka made light work of England's bowlers . Thirimanne is almost down on one knee during his knock as he celebrates with Sangakkara (right) England should still reach the quarter-finals – and that in itself tells you all you need to know about the flawed format of this tournament – but it simply seems a matter of time before they are put out of their misery and sent home. The stark reality is that they need to beat Bangladesh and Afghanistan in their last two group games to advance to the last eight and while they should still do that it is fanciful to expect them to defeat anyone of note. England now need to win their next five games to lift the World Cup when they have won just seven of their last 24 one-day internationals. Even winning two on the bounce has proved beyond them in that time, let alone five. As ever it is the hope that gets you. When England had scored 309 for six they looked favourites at a Westpac Stadium where Tim Southee had destroyed them with swing when they were last here just nine days ago. But that was to overlook the sheer quality and experience of the Sri Lankan batting. They defeated England in all formats last summer and thrashed them in a one-day series before Christmas. Here they confirmed their superiority with a masterful display of one-day batting to romp home with 16 balls and nine wickets to spare. England simply never looked like containing nor dismissing them. England, desperate not to be seen to be chopping and changing again, kept faith with Gary Ballance but he looked even more rusty and nervy than in his three previous failures and it was no surprise when he fell cheaply again. England are adamant that Ballance, who averages over 50 in domestic one-day cricket, can be just as effective in the 50-over game as he is in Test cricket but the trouble is that he is trying to establish himself during a World Cup. James Taylor drops a catch on the boundary as England failed to build on their score in Wellington . England captain Eoin Morgan was left with plenty to ponder after suffering his third defeat of the World Cup . Sangakkar and team-mate Thirimanne shake hands with Morgan after Sri Lanka's nine-wicket wi . It is another indictment of England’s long-term one-day strategy that they threw Ballance into this side on the eve of the World Cup and it would appear they have no choice but to throw him out again. If Alex Hales, who England seem so reluctant to pick, does not play next week against Bangladesh in Adelaide then he really should despair about ever breaking into the 50-over side. England made a great start, reaching 62 after nine overs, but they ran into trouble when they resorted to their old-fashioned habit of consolidating in the middle overs when they lost Moeen Ali, Ballance and Ian Bell within 11 overs. It may seem harsh to criticise England when they have ended up scoring more than 300 but the one-day game has progressed so rapidly that you just cannot afford to score at four an over for 10 overs as England did here. The pace was picked up by the impressive Root, who has that knack of compiling run a ball hundreds in one-day cricket before stepping it up with the sort of improvised, expansive shots that have became simply integral. It was when James Taylor joined Root, and then when Jos Buttler was finally let loose for the last four overs, that it was possible to see a future where England really could compete with the big boys. Root, dropped on 17 at slip by Mahela Jayawardene, was superb in reaching 121 off 108 balls, with two sixes, as England accelerated against some indisciplined bowling, 164 coming off the last 20 overs, 106 off the last 10. Joe Root was at least one bright spot for England as he hit 121 off 108 balls including two sixes . Root celebrates with his team-mate James Taylor after reaching a century against Sri Lanka . The impressive Yorkshireman is the youngest Englishman, at 24, to score a World Cup century and upon him rest so many hopes over the next 10 years in all forms of cricket. He will be captain in all three forms before too long. The hapless Thisara Perera disappeared for 25 off the 45th over and was then hit for another boundary when he had to complete an over for Rangana Herath when he was struck on the finger by Buttler. Buttler was struck himself first ball when a nasty bouncer from Lasith Malinga thudded into his helmet but he recovered his poise to hit a quite brilliant unbeaten 39 from 19 balls. One of the many things that England need to improve in one-day cricket is making sure Buttler gets to the crease much earlier. When Suranga Lakmal was banished from the attack after bowling two high full tosses in the last over Sri Lanka speared to be wilting and they had been forced to use five bowlers to deliver the last 13 balls of the innings. Sri Lanka fans were in full voice as they watched their side ease to victory over England . Morgan talks to bowlers Steven Finn and James Anderson as England struggled against Sri Lanka . Fat chance. England perhaps had their opportunity when Root dropped Lahiru Thirimanne on three off Stuart Broad but from then on, with England failing to locate the swing that Southee gained here at the Westpac Stadium to take seven English wickets, it was all one-day traffic. Once Sangakkara joined Thirimanne the game was effectively over as the pair put on an unbeaten 210 after the loss of Tillekeratne Dilshan and only faltered when Thirimanne offered what looked like a simple chance on 98 but Moeen Ali did not even get a hand on it. It said everything about England’s plight. When Sangakkara, in his 401st one-day international, reached his 23rd century off just 70 balls Sri Lanka’s triumph was almost complete and England’s misery was acute. He really is a true great of the game and Surrey’s gain next summer will be Sri Lanka’s loss. England now slope off to Adelaide and face a long week of soul-searching before they meet Bangladesh. There is much to contemplate. Both in the immediate future and in the long-term in this form of the game.
England made  309 for 6 in their 50 overs which looked a good score . But Sri Lanka lost just one wicket as they won with something to spare . Lahiru Thirimanne and Kumar Sangakkara both scored centuries . England must now beat Afghanistan and Bangladesh to progress .