Murali holds up England

Muttiah Muralitharan checked England's progress in the second Test at Edgbaston with four badly needed wickets for Sri Lanka.

England still finished the second day on 401 for five, a first innings lead of 239, with Marcus Trescothick's Test-best 161 as the centrepiece.

But Sri Lanka's position would have been worse but for leading wicket-taker Murali's four for 105 from a marathon 44 overs.

Murali, in his first match since dislocating his left-shoulder in last month's Sharjah Cup final and far from fully fit, nevertheless kept going in a gutsy display.

His endurance was rewarded by two wickets in successive overs after tea.

Surrey left-hander Mark Butcher, six runs short of a hundred, could do nothing about a superb delivery that pitched outside his leg stump before turning sharply and clipping his off-bail.

Butcher was otherwise untroubled in a 209-ball stay featuring 13 fours.

Then 30-year-old Murali, the youngest bowler in history to take 400 Test wickets, struck again when England captain Nasser Hussain (22) tried to kick the ball away only for it to deflect on to his stumps.

England had lost two wickets for three runs but were still well-placed at 341 for four.

That became 368 for five when, following a 10-minute stoppage after rubbish had been thrown onto the field, Alec Stewart gloved Murali to Hashan Tillekeratne at short leg.

Earlier left-handed duo Trescothick and Butcher on 202 - England's best for any wicket against Sri Lanka.

But, to the last ball before tea, Trescothick chipped left-arm paceman Chaminda Vaas to Tillekeratne, this time at midwicket, after a dominating innings lasting four minutes short of five hours.

Trescothick faced 232 balls including three sixes and 23 fours, his third Test hundred consolidating the good work of England's bowlers who dismissed Sri Lanka for 162 yesterday.

Predictably, Muralitharan had already taken Sri Lanka's first wicket.

Michael Vaughan (46) was the only man to go in the morning session when he was caught off a top-edged sweep by Jayasuriya following an opening stand of 92 with Trescothick.

Meanwhile, Sri Lanka's seam trio struggled to make an impact on a pitch flattened into a good batting surface by Hussain's decision to use the heavy roller.

But the tourists quick bowlers did not help themselves early on, lacking either accuracy as well as the pace of the England seamers, although Vaas returned to form in the final session.

The three-match series is level at 0-0 after the First Test draw at Lord's.

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Mail Cricket Editor