The ECB is understood to be in discussions with the creators of a global TV reality show designed to unearth cricket’s next superstars, slated for next summer. After another miserable effort by England in the field at Headingley yesterday it cannot begin soon enough.

England’s fast bowling resources had already been revealed during this NatWest Series as chronically threadbare but their least glorious hour was saved for this final game. On a superb pitch and lightning outfield, there was simply nowhere to hide for anyone straying in line and length. Even good balls were not respected.

Kabir Ali’s first two overs cost 28 and the first from Tim Bresnan, his new-ball partner, leaked 18. Liam Plunkett’s first two cost 25. By comparison, Steve Harmison began well but his punishment was to be given his full allocation of 10 overs, which cost 97, an England record.

England had never before been whitewashed 5-0 in a one-day series. Purely in terms of results, their worst performance was losing all six matches in the 2001 NatWest Series but they were then up against two very good sides in Australia and Pakistan. Well as they have played, Sri Lanka present less formidable opposition, especially without Muttiah Muralitharan for most of the series. But their top three batsmen have brilliantly seized the initiative every time.

If England thought a total of 321 for seven, their highest against Sri Lanka and built on an excellent century from Marcus Trescothick and 40s from Alastair Cook and Vikram Solanki, would at least make them competitive, they soon had to think again as Sanath Jayasuriya and Upal Tharanga tore into them during the first powerplay.

After the 10th over, bowled by Kabir, had gone for 25, the score read 133 for no wicket and Sri Lanka’s asking rate was down to a modest 4.7 runs per over. They could have just knocked the ball around after that but the openers kept blazing away and the next 10 overs brought another 61.

They went on to set a world record first-wicket partnership in 2,389 one-day internationals of 286 and long before they were separated by Jamie Dalrymple, the game had ceased to be a contest. In the end, Sri Lanka got home with an a staggering 12.3 overs and eight wickets remaining. Currently, there is no end to the humiliation, it seems.

Jayasuriya’s innings was a wonderful reprise of top-order hitting from the man who transformed one-day cricket 10 years ago but is now 37. It was like the good old days as his century came up in the 24th over off 72 balls. He was eventually out for 152 from just 99 balls with 20 fours and four sixes, many of them from trademark pulls and front-foot carves.

Tharanga had been the first to fall for 109 from 102 balls. Tharanga and Jayasuriya, who was named man of the series, both scored two centuries in the series, as did Mahela Jayawardene, as against just Trescothick’s for England.

For Andrew Strauss it was the most chastening day yet in the field. Again his bowlers let him down, but again he looked anonymous in the field, not obviously in control and juggling bowlers in something akin to panic. He used five bowlers inside the first eight overs, which cost exactly 100.

Strauss will this week be announced as the man to lead England in the Test series against Pakistan although Andrew Flintoff, who is expected to miss the first two Tests to rest his ankle, ought to remain the natural choice to lead England in the Ashes series. But Flintoff’s fitness must be assured first.

After such a rout, avoiding defeat to Pakistan will take some doing. Bob Woolmer, their coach, knows how to win matches in England and can be guaranteed to play a clever game. He has started by bringing in John Snow, the former England great, to teach his fast bowlers about local conditions.