Swann boosts England hopes

Graeme Swann took two wickets during a dramatic penultimate over to raise England's hopes of a series-levelling victory in the second Test against Sri Lanka.

England had started the day solidly but went 43.3 overs without success in the evening as their nemesis Mahela Jayawardene and Thilan Samaraweera put on 90 for the fifth wicket.

Then, with the tourists fatigued by heat and humidity and facing a tricky chase on day five, Swann bowled Samaraweera and Suraj Randiv in the space of three balls as Sri Lanka closed on 218 for six - just 33 ahead.

His ecstatic celebrations as the stumps parted on each occasion showed just how important this could be for England - who need victory to draw level with Sri Lanka at 1-1 and preserve their world number one status.

Jayawardene remained unbeaten on 55 not out and in sight of his third century in a remarkable series.

England were hoping to knock nightwatchman Dhammika Prasad over early, but he quickly became a bigger problem than regular opener Lahiru Thirimanne.

Swann came on after six overs and soon had Thirimanne in strife. Matt Prior missed a simple stumping but it did not cost England as the opener guided James Anderson to slip for 11.

The referral system later frustrated both Tillakaratne Dilshan and Swann, but there was no doubt when Prior gathered a thin edge off Swann to send Kumar Sangakkara back for 21 and leave the hosts 60 behind at 125 for four.

That brought Sri Lanka's most diligent pairing, Jayawardene and Samaraweera, together just as England started to show signs of weariness.

But with the new ball Swann managed to turn one sharply at Samaraweera, who was shocked by the spin, before summoning up one more piece of magic to bowl Randiv through the gate.