England's pace-spin duo of Matthew Hoggard and Monty Panesar combined to destroy Sri Lanka for 188 on the opening day of the first Test yesterday.
England replied with 49-1 by stumps after losing opener Alastair Cook to the third ball of the innings when he was trapped leg before wicket by Chaminda Vaas.
Captain Michael Vaughan was unbeaten on 13 and Ian Bell was on 36 as England attempt to put up a big score on a barren wicket that is later expected to assist the spin of Muttiah Muralitharan.
PHOTO: AFP
The off-spinner, who needs five wickets to overtake retired Australian Shane Warne's world record tally of 708, came on in the 12th over and conceded two runs in three overs.
Hoggard grabbed four wickets in a deadly opening burst while Panesar cleaned up the Sri Lankan tail after a defiant sixth-wicket stand of 104 between Kumar Sangakkara and wicketkeeper Prasanna Jayawardene.
Left-handed Sangakkara made 92 and Jayawardene chipped in with 51 to rescue the hosts who were tottering at 42-5 after electing to bat at the Asgiriya Stadium.
Sangakkara continued the same form that saw him compile 192 in the second Test against Australia in Hobart last month.
He hit 13 boundaries before being denied a 16th Test century by Paul Collingwood, who picked up a brilliant one-handed catch at backward point as the batsman cut a short ball from James Anderson.
Sangakkara and Jayawardene retrieved the situation for the hosts before Panesar broke the partnership 30 minutes before tea.
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