Sri Lanka wrapped up a 3-0 series whitewash over West Indies despite Brian Lara's historic feat of adding 130 to his first-innings double century.
Left-arm pace bowler Chaminda Vaas stole Lara's limelight as he took seven wickets for the second innings in succession, the home side winning the third and final Test by 10 wickets after being set 26 to win.
It was Sri Lanka's first series win over West Indies. Lara had the consolation of becoming the first player for almost three decades - and only the fifth in history - to make a century and double century in the same Test.
West Indies' hopes of salvaging some pride on the final day of the series had rested on the left-handed Trinidadian, who resumed on 76 not out in a total of 145 for two.
He reached three figures by cutting off-spinner Muttiah Muralitharan to point for three, his hundred spanning 198 minutes and 169 balls and including 11 fours and a six.
But his dismissal just before lunch, bowled by an inswinging yorker from left-arm fast bowler Nuwan Zoysa, proved decisive.
That made it 247 for six at the break, a lead of only 10, and Vaas quickly wrapped up the innings with the final four wickets to end with seven for 71 from 25 overs as West Indies were bowled out for 262. The last four wickets fell for just four runs.
Lara's series will in time become a trivia addict's dream. He made four centuries in the series including 178 in the second Test finished the three-match series with an average of 114.66.
The last player to achieve a century and double century in a Test was Australia's Greg Chappell (247 not out and 133 against New Zealand at Wellington in 1973-74). Lara, though, was the first player to do so and still finish on the losing side.
Vaas, meanwhile, ended the match with overall figures of 14 for 191 - recording career-best Test figures in both innings.
His last three victims all fell lbw for ducks as the bowler took four for one in nine balls. His performance was the best by a Sri Lankan bowler since Muttiah Muralitharan took 16 for 220 against England at the Oval in 1998.
Vaas has also played a key role on the fifth morning, when he got a ball to reverse swing and dismiss Ramnaresh Sarwan for 66 after a 141-run stand for the third wicket.
Sarwan, who also enhanced his reputation during the one-sided series, batted for three-and-a-quarter hours, hitting 11 fours.
Muralitharan, without success for 27 overs, struck twice in his 28th, to reduce West Indies to 203 for five and start the slide.
He first enticed Carl Hooper out of his crease with a well-flighted delivery wide outside off stump and had him stumped for nine. Marlon Samuels lasted two balls before he was caught off bat and pad at silly mid-off by Mahela Jayawardene without scoring.
Scoreboard on the fifth day of the third and final Test between Sri Lanka and West Indies at the Sinhalese SC ground: West Indies first innings 390 (B.Lara 221, R.Sarwan 69, C.Hooper 56; C.Vaas 7-120)
Sri Lanka first innings 627-9 declared (H.Tillakaratne 204 not out, T.Samaraweera 87, S.Jayasuriya 85, R.Arnold 65, K.Sangakkara 55)
West Indies second innings (overnight 145-2):
D.Ganga lbw b Vaas 10
C.Gayle c Jayawardene b Vaas 0
R.Sarwan c Sangakkara b Vaas 66
B.Lara b Zoysa 130
C.Hooper st Sangakkara b Muralitharan 9
M.Samuels c Jayawardene b Muralitharan 0
R.Jacobs not out 31
M.Dillon c sub (U.Chandana) b Vaas 8
D.Ramnarine lbw b Vaas 0
P.Collins lbw b Vaas 0
M.Black lbw b Vaas 0
Extras (b-4 lb-1 nb-3) 8
Total: 262
Fall of wickets: 1-1 2-20 3-161 4-203 5-203 6-240 7-258 8-258 9-262
Bowling: Vaas 25-3-71-7 (2nb), Zoysa 11-1-45-1, Muralitharan 36-5-116-2, Samaraweera 8-2-23-0 (1nb), Bandaratillake 2-0-2-0.
Sri Lanka second innings:
M.Atapattu not out 19
S.Jayasuriya not out 8
Extras 0
Total (for no wicket) 27
Bowling: Dillon 3-0-12-0, Collins 2.3-0-15-0.
Result: Sri Lanka won by 10 wickets.
First Test: Galle - Sri Lanka won by 10 wickets.
Second Test: Kandy - Sri Lanka won by 131 runs.