Giles, Croft put the brakes
on Lanka

England spinners Ashley Giles and Robert Croft captured four wickets for 14 runs to rock Sri Lanka late on the opening day of the third and final Test on Thursday.

Left-armer Giles snapped up Aravinda de Silva (38) and Russel Arnold (0) before off-spinner Croft removed Tillekeratne Dilshan (5) and Mahela Jayawardene (71) as Sri Lanka slumped from 205 for three to 219 for seven.

The Sri Lankans, who were 221 for seven at the close of an absorbing day's cricket, had initially built a promising position as de Silva and Jayawardene put on 97 for the fourth wicket.

England tilted the balance through increasingly effective bowling from Giles, who has taken two for 56 from 30 overs, and Croft, whose three for 40 off 28 overs followed his influential all-round effort in the touring team's three-wicket win in the second Test in Kandy.

The series, which is level 1-1, has been overshadowed by controversy over umpiring decisions but the acrimony of the previous two matches was absent as the players of both sides appeared to have heeded the "final warning" about their behaviour from match referee Hanumant Singh.

There was one dubious decision when de Silva, having made 21 out of 143 for three, edged Giles to England captain Nasser Hussain at first slip but was given not out by South African umpire David Orchard.

Slow motion television replays clearly showed the ball came off the shoulder of the bat, but de Silva stood his ground and was given a life.

In the event, it was not costly for England, or Giles, who removed de Silva after he added only 17 to his score.

DOUBLE BLOW

While England started the day encouragingly - Andy Caddick bowled Marvan Atapattu in the second over - and ended it on a high note, Sri Lanka will almost certainly feel they did not make the most of winning the toss.

They were 88 for one at lunch but suffered a double blow soon afterwards, first through a classic piece of quick bowling by Darren Gough.

The Yorkshire paceman tested Kumar Sangakkara with a delivery that struck his elbow, then followed up with a ball that flew past the batsman's face. When Gough offered a delivery just outside off stump, Sangakkara drove loosely and was caught at backward point by Michael Vaughan for 45.

Sri Lanka skipper Sanath Jayasuriya then went to drive Croft on the off side but sliced a catch to Craig White at backward point, having made his highest score of the series with 45 after previous innings of 14, nine and nought.

De Silva and Jayawardene restored stability as they took the score from 108 for three to 205 for three before Giles and Croft struck back at the end of the last session.

A one-handed catch by Vaughan to his left at silly mid-off from bat and pad accounted for de Silva as he played to leg but it was Croft who snapped up the key wicket of the dangerous Jayawardene.

Jayawardene, having stroked eight fours and one six in his 71 off 152 balls, tried to cut the off-spinner and was caught behind by Alec Stewart.

Mail Cricket Editor