Murali underlines spin threat

By Jonathan Agnew BBC cricket correspondent in Sri Lanka

A swashbuckling innings of 38 by Muttiah Muralitharan, who then claimed the wickets of Marcus Trescothick and Michael Vaughan, gave Sri Lanka a narrow edge at the close of the second day.

Muralitharan, as always, posed the biggest threat with the ball

It was noticeable, however, that Graham Thorpe and Mark Butcher were able to play with a degree of comfort when Murali was rested, so there is still the scope for England to cause an upset.

Sri Lanka were 291-9 with Murali walked to the wicket in mid-afternoon and should not have reached 300.

This would entirely have reflected England's efforts up to then - and Flintoff's in particular - but in a typically frenzied display of tail-end swiping, Murali managed to add 40 with a curiously subdued Vaas.

And on a pitch such as this, 40 runs can be priceless.

Ashley Giles finally had him caught behind, to give the left armer 4-69, but after some tidy bowling by England, the impetus was now with Sri Lanka.

Flintoff received the plaudits for his inspired, whole-hearted bowling Andrew Flintoff quotes

Vaughan and Trescothick breezed to 56 with few alarms before Trescothick played forward to a wicked spinner from Murali.

The ball appeared to miss the bat comfortably enough, but Trescothick turned his back on umpire Harper and, for a second, appeared to be walking, voluntarily, to the dressing room.

In fact, he was merely restoring his balance, but his movement was enough to persuade the umpire, and he gave Trescothick out for 23.

The incident occurred in Murali's third over, and he struck again 11 runs later when Vaughan, attempting to pad the ball away from outside off stump, misjudged the line and was bowled as the ball shot between his legs.

Marcus Trescothick could consider himself unlucky

In footballing parlance, he was nutmegged - a most unusual occurrence on a cricket field.

Butcher and Thorpe coped with Murali well, and neither seemed to have any problems dealing with the other spinners, Dharmasena and Chandana.

When bad light threatened curtail play, Tillekeratne cunningly treated Murali as a fast bowler and took him off.

Play was allowed to continue, but the difference in pressure when Murali was bowling compared to when he was not was blindingly obvious.

Flintoff received the plaudits at the end of the day for his inspired, whole-hearted bowling and, for once, he received a slice or two of luck.

This is nothing more than he has deserved this year, and his 3-42, including two wickets in successive overs, was instrumental in pinning Sri Lanka down - until Muralitharan narrowly tilted the balance.