The tourists began their reply to Sri Lanka's 382 - after 104 runs were added for the last two wickets - at a thunderous rate before losing four wickets in nine overs either side of tea.

That left Graham Thorpe and Paul Collingwood to steer Michael Vaughan's side to 163 for four at the close with a disciplined hour-and-a-half stand.

Marcus Trescothick had been the least aggressive in the opening 89-run stand with Vaughan, ended on the stroke of the second interval when the left-hander was claimed at silly-point by a diving Tillekeratne Dilshan off an inside edge, from a Murali delivery, which popped up off the pad.

Mark Butcher was then stumped off Kumar Dharmasena and Murali claimed Vaughan's wicket, as the Yorkshire player was caught at slip off his new sharply-turning wrong 'un moments after the England captain brought up an impressive half-century studded with pulls and drives to the boundary.

Nasser Hussain went in the next over when Chaminda Vaas brought one back to earn a leg before decision as England were reduced to 119 for four.

Frustration spilled over earlier on as the players left the field at the Asgiriya Stadium upon the home side's dismissal for 382.

A prolonged decision by the umpires confirming Muralitharan had been bowled was followed by words being exchanged as the batsman trudged off and the Sri Lanka team management filed a complaint at certain English conduct to International Cricket Council match referee Clive Lloyd.

Ashley Giles' fifth wicket of the innings, his second such haul in Test cricket, wrapped things up after another late assault from Muralitharan, including a towering six and two fours, when the batsman shaped a cut at a short ball which clipped the top of off-stump, dislodging a bail, before hitting wicketkeeper Chris Read's gloves.

Uncertain as to whether the ball or the wicketkeeper had broken the stumps, Pakistan umpire Aleem Dar consulted colleague Daryl Harper and the pair decided originally to give the batsman not out.

It was only when the English contingent in the crowd started booing, upon viewing television replays, that Harper called for the third umpire to adjudicate.

Andrew Flintoff made the early breakthrough when he had Hashan Tillekeratne caught by Butcher at fine leg following a top-edged hook.

But tail-enders Dharmasena and Dinusha Fernando survived some early scrapes to put on 76 before Giles had the former leg before attempting a sweep.

Discuss it on the message board!