The home side closed the second day on 264 for two, a deficit of a solitary run, which made a mockery of England's first-innings effort on a good batting track.

The tourists dropped three catches in all, Marcus Trescothick twice flooring edges from Thilan Samaraweera, who compiled an unbeaten half-century over four-and-a-half hours.

He shared an on-going stand of 126 with Mahela Jayawardene, who flicked and glided his way to his own 50, made from 100 deliveries.

Samaraweera could have been dismissed twice in quick succession. Both near misses came with the all-rounder on 12; firstly he drove Ashley Giles into the knee of Nasser Hussain at silly-point and watched as the ball looped behind the prostrate fielder before being put down by Trescothick from an edge off the same bowler.

Then, moments before bringing up his half-century, from 172 deliveries, Samaraweera gained a thick nick off Andrew Flintoff which flew to Trescothick, who spilled once again to increase the frustration.

Openers Sanath Jayasuriya and Kumar Sangakkara - promoted a place in the order because of a hand injury to Marvan Atapattu - began with a flurry of boundaries.

But their stroke-making provided chances for Michael Vaughan's men as Jayasuriya drove one perilously close to Kirtley, in his follow-through in the first over, and Sangakkara twice hit the ball short of fielders off Anderson.

Anderson was close to an immediate success when Sangakkara got a thick inside-edge which lobbed to within a couple of yards short of captain Vaughan at mid-on and Sangakkara flicked the paceman tantalisingly close to Mark Butcher, who appeared not to pick the ball up at fine leg.

England finally got rid of Jayasuriya midway through play but only after he compiled a swift 85, including 12 fours and a six, before slicing a delivery from Flintoff, which swung sufficiently to take the left-hander's edge and Trescothick held his second catch of the innings at slip.

Before that, Kirtley made the breakthrough when an angled delivery across Sangakkara flew off the edge low to Trescothick at slip, who held a good catch to his right.

England were finished off within six overs as Chaminda Vaas took his wicket tally in the series to 12 two successful lbw shouts against Kirtley and Anderson.

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