Johannesburg, Sep 26 - England kept alive their hopes of making the semi-finals of the ICC Champions Trophy with a six-wicket win over Sri Lanka in a Group B match at the New Wanderers Stadium here Friday.

England chased the target of 213 by losing four wickets in 45 overs after Eoin Morgan scored a responsible unbeaten 62 besides crucial knocks from Man of the Match Paul Collingwood (46) and Owais Shah (44) on a lively track.

Put into bat first, Sri Lankan batsman failed to get the measure of the track and an excellent display of fast bowling by James Anderson (3-20) and Stuart Broad (3-49) packed them up for 212 runs in 47.3 overs.

While chasing the modest total, England faced initial hiccups after double strikes from Nuwan Kulasekara saw openers Andrew Strauss (9) and Joe Denly (5) back in the pavilion with just 19 runs on board.

But Collingwood and Shah stitched a patient 63-run third wicket partnership to bail out England from the precarious situation.

Collingwood's 51-ball innings was studded with five fours and three sixes and he displayed controlled aggression that took the teeth out of Sri Lankan bowling. Collingwood looked set for a big innings but dragged one back off Lasith Malinga's delivery to cut short his stay on the crease.

Morgan and Shah kept the scoreboard ticking and it was their 76-run stand for the fourth wicket that spoiled Sri Lanka's hopes of a comeback. With England inching towards the victory, Muttiah Muralitharan produced a beauty to dismiss Shah caught behind by Kumar Sangakkara but Morgan and Matt Prior (28 not out) took England home safely.