England claim two wickets

England claimed two pre-lunch wickets via fortuitous leg-before dismissals as umpiring decisions proved the focus of the opening overs of the Galle Test.

Pakistani umpire Asad Rauf adjudged Sri Lankan openers Michael Vandort and Upul Tharanga lbw to give Ryan Sidebottom and Steve Harmison early successes.

England also believed they had snared Kumar Sangakkara caught behind, but he reached the interval unbeaten in Sri Lanka's 71 for two.

Left-hander Sangakkara, on two, drove at a delivery from Matthew Hoggard to spark extensive appeals from the England camp.

Sangakkara muttered something as his opponents engulfed him, but their gestures had no effect on Australian official Daryl Harper.

Sidebottom made the first breakthrough of the delayed series finale after England captain Michael Vaughan opted to bowl first.

Left-armer Sidebottom struck with the first ball after drinks when Rauf paused for what seemed an eternity before raising the finger, after the ball hit Vandort above the knee roll.

Moments earlier the tourists were left to rue a missed opportunity as Paul Collingwood floored a straightforward slip chance created by Harmison's fourth delivery.

Perhaps unsettled by a bouncer the previous delivery, Tharanga flailed flat-footed at one outside off-stump to send the ball to second slip.

He eventually succumbed when he was harshly given out to a ball which would have no doubt hit off-stump but which pitched outside leg.