Michael Vandort scored an unbeaten 50 as Sri Lanka shook off a poor start to close on 105 for two, 246 runs behind England, on the second day of the second Test on Monday.
England were earlier bowled out for 351 after resuming on 258 for five, with Matt Prior hitting 79 and Muttiah Muralitharan claiming his 62nd five-wicket haul in Tests.
Left-armer Ryan Sidebottom gave Sri Lanka a scare before tea with a penetrative new-ball burst, reducing the hosts to 22 for 2 as both Upul Tharanga (10) and in-form Kumar Sangakkara (one) edged outswingers to wicketkeeper Prior.
But Vandort and skipper Mahela Jayawardene, who finished on 43 not out, batted throughout the final session during an unbroken 83-run stand before bad light stopped play.
Prior scored 79 from 130 balls with nine boundaries as England added 93 runs to their overnight score before being bowled out in the first hour after lunch.
Off-spinner Muralitharan polished off the tail in quick succession to finish with 5-116 from 47.2 overs.
England lost the wickets of Paul Collingwood (52) and Stuart Broad (two) as they added 69 runs during the two-hour morning session.
Chaminda Vaas broke through in the first hour as he followed a series of leg-cutters with a full-length inswinger that Collingwood left alone and was adjudged lbw.
Soon after, Lasith Malinga trapped debutant Broad with another inswinger.
After Kevin Pietersen's disputed catch on day one, there was further controversy regarding the use of technology just before lunch as umpire Daryl Harper referred a slip catch off Sidebottom to third umpire Gamini Silva.
The catch was taken cleanly by Mahela Jayawardene diving forward at slip, but Silva ruled not out on the basis that he was not sure that the ball had brushed the glove as Sidebottom took evasive action.
Prior and Sidebottom extended their useful eighth-wicket partnership to 74 before Muralitharan had Sidebottom caught at slip for 17.
Steve Harmison top-edged a sweep first ball to be caught by Chamara Silva and Prior was last man out as he was caught and bowled by Murali.
Malinga finished with 3-78 from 24 overs and Vaas claimed 2-68 from 32 overs.
