Magician Murali is star turn

At least Mark Butcher and Graham Thorpe brought some comfort for the visitors, seeing England to 97 without further loss by the time bad light halted play 10 minutes early.

But they face a huge job tomorrow. "It is stating to spin a bit more so we will have to bat well," said Andrew Flintoff, who is next in line to face former Lancashire team-mate Murali. "But Mark and Graham went about it well. When you are batting against their spinners every ball is a battle and it's hard work."

Murali the Menace had done his best to change the mood of the day with a bat in his hand.

When the No11 walked to the middle this afternoon, carrying a bat previously belonging to Flintoff, Sri Lanka were 291 for nine.

Murali began a 37-ball innings by wandering down the pitch to drive Gareth Batty for four. He then hoisted another inviting delivery high, wide and straight into some bushes by the main gate.

A pull-drive to 'cow corner' soon followed but the real fun - or torment from an English perspective - arrived once Flintoff returned to the attack. Murali twice topedged hooks to the boundary, causing a frustrated Vaughan to position Trescothick at long stop in the hope of intercepting another miscue.

In the end, though, a snicked cut against Ashley Giles gave keeper Chris Read a more routine catch.

England would have happily settled for Sri Lanka's eventual total when the home side were 76 without loss yesterday. But not when the scoreboard read 239 for seven this afternoon after fortune had favoured Flintoff twice in the space of three balls.

One horrible shot and one debatable umpiring decision brought him two precious wickets after Sri Lanka had recovered from an overnight 138 for four to 238 for five.

Richard Johnson had removed Kumar Sangakkara with the second new ball, pinning him lbw with an in-swinger

But it was Flintoff who strengthened England's position, with Thilan Samaraweera chasing a wide delivery and Upul Chandana losing an lbw verdict to a ball that looked suspiciously high.

But the Sri Lankan fightback followed, with the hosts' last three wickets added 92 runs.

"In the end they probably got 20 or 30 more runs than we wanted but, overall, to limit them to 331 was still a good effort," said Flintoff.

And the all-rounder could not even bring himself to be cross with Murali. "He plays the game in the right way with a smile on his face," he added.