Sri Lanka v England, 1st Test, Galle, 1st day

Sri Lanka rebuild inning after early Wickets

When Sri Lanka won the toss and elected to bat on the first day of the first Test in Galle, England could have been forgiven for fearing a long, hard day in the sun. Instead the England seamers, maintaining the fine form that has been a feature of their cricket over the last couple of years, claimed three wickets in the first four overs to gain the early initiative. On a pitch offering little pace or movement, it was an impressive display of discipline, control and skill.

James Anderson, maintaining a full length outside the off stump and finding just a little swing, accounted for two left-handed batsmen in two deliveries in his second over as first Lahiru Thirimanne and then Kumar Sangakkara edged to the slips or keeper. Thirimanne became Anderson's 250th Test wicket in the bowler's 67th Test - he is just the sixth England bowler to reach the milestone - as he prodded at one angled across him, before Sangakkara suffered the third first-ball dismissal of his Test career after he was drawn into a loose drive.

Stuart Broad then took the edge of Tillakaratne Dilshan's bat with one that bounced and left the batsmen off the seam.

It was a fine start for England after Sri Lanka won what was anticipated to be an important toss in Galle. On a pitch that is expected to deteriorate as the game progresses, the Sri Lanka captain, Mahela Jayawardene, had no hesitation in electing to bat upon winning the toss.

That toss may yet prove vital. A defiant fourth-wicket partnership between Jayawardene and Thilan Samarawerra revived Sri Lanka's hopes of posting a match-defining total, but England would have been the happier side at the lunch break.