The Asgiriya Stadium was an exhilarating place to be yesterday. English thrust with the new ball in the morning was countered by some stirring Sri Lankan batting throughout the afternoon, including a sublime century from Mahela Jayawardene, his fifth in Test cricket. And then just when it seemed England were letting it slip, the visitors tightened up the game again.

With devastating use of the second new ball by Darren Gough and Andy Caddick, England cut the legs from beneath the innings.

Sri Lanka were 80 for four at one time, had recovered to 221 for four and later 277 for five, but then exposed their weakness against pace bowling when there is bounce in the pitch and a little sideways movement. They were bowled out shortly before the close for 297, the last five wickets falling in 35 balls for 20 runs.

With two awkward overs to bat, Mike Atherton survived three lbw shouts in the opening over from the left-armer Chaminda Vaas and with Marcus Trescothick saw out time.

It was a day of hard but ultimately rewarding slog for the seamers, who took all the wickets between them. Gough traded punches with the batsmen and took four for 73.

A spell of seven overs after the break was without question Caddick's best of the winter, brought him Jayawardene's wicket for 101 and could have been better rewarded. Instead he switched ends to collect a couple with the second new ball, giving him four for 55. It was finishing of the highest class by the pair.