Thursday 27 November 2014 06:09, UK
England captain Alastair Cook is taking the positives from his side's narrow defeat to Sri Lanka in the opening one-day international in Colombo.
England fell 25 runs short of completing their biggest ever 50-over run-chase on Wednesday after being bowled out for 292 in reply to the hosts' 317-6.
Opener Moeen Ali scored a superb 119 to give the tourists a chance of victory but despite Ravi Bopara's 65 later in the innings they fell short.
It left Cook to reflect on what might have been, in his team's first international match of their World Cup winter.
He said: "It feels bad at the moment. Any time you lose, playing for England, hurts - and we did a lot of things pretty well in that game.
"Obviously, Mo played an outstanding innings.
"We dragged it back pretty well with the ball, after a pretty shaky start - and the guys in the dressing room kind of think that was one that got away."
It was Thisara Perera who started to undermine England as three wickets fell for 17 runs after Moeen and Ian Bell had steadied the ship following the early loss of Cook.
"Going from 100 for one to 120 odd for four really cost us, hurt us - because we always felt we had just lost one too many wickets throughout our chase," added Cook.
"That was frustrating. So were the 16 wides we bowled, and our first 10 overs (with the ball)."
Moeen, who scored his maiden ODI hundred, which was the third-fastest by an Englishman in the format at 72 balls, said: "Obviously to get a hundred is nice, but we're very disappointed to have lost the game.
"I feel good, I've very happy opening the batting - and I feel like I can go out and express myself."
His half-century came in just 25 balls, and the sixes and fours did not dry up either until he was sixth out with England on 203.
Moeen added: "I've struggled previously (after the powerplay ends) - I get a quick 40 or 50 and I get out.
"Today, when I slowed things down, I played and missed. So I just said to myself 'keep playing'.
"I just play on instinct; I like to try to take the bowlers down.
"The plan was to stay in the game as long as we can, but we lost one or two wickets too many in that period.
"My personal plan was to keep going and stay ahead of the rate - not get scared just because we were losing wickets and change my tempo."
Sri Lanka captain Angelo Mathews said: "He [Moeen] was batting on a different pitch, I guess.
"He was going for his shots. We dropped a couple of catches, and it proved costly.
"But I wasn't too concerned, because I knew I had the bowling strength - especially with the spinners, and Thisara was also brilliant with those two wickets that got us back in the game."
