England captain Nasser Hussain led his team's fightback on the second day of the second Test against Sri Lanka with a superb century.

Hussain made 109 with three sixes and 12 fours to leave England on 249 for five, 48 runs behind Sri Lanka's first innings total.

Hussain and Graham Thorpe scored 167 runs for the third wicket which was a record for England against Sri Lanka for any wicket.

Hussain and Thorpe came together after England had lost openers Michael Atherton (7) and Marcus Trescothick (23) with only 37 runs on the board.

The England captain made maximum use of some poor umpiring decisions by Sri Lanka's Bulathsinghalage Cooray - who was unconvinced by two clear bat-pad chances off Muttiah Muralitharan - to complete his ninth Test century in 280 minutes off 241 ballsP}He finally succumbed to Muralitharan when he attempted a big sweep and was bowled.

Muralitharan struck again when he trapped Graeme Hick lbw without scoring. Hick had earlier survived a caught-andbowl chance to Muralitharan which Cooray failed to award.

Thorpe was caught off bat and pad by Tillekeratne Dilshan off Jayasuriya.