Sidebottom takes centre stage

Left-armer Sidebottom removed world number one batsman Kumar Sangakkara and Upul Tharanga on the second day of the second Test as the hosts reached tea on 25 for two.

Both were well held by wicketkeeper Matt Prior, whose 79 earlier held England's innings of 351 together.

The debate over the use of television technology also resurfaced again this morning when Sidebottom was reprieved before lunch, hours after England captain Michael Vaughan called for television adjudication to be made on contentious decisions.

Technically, as the International Cricket Council playing regulations stand, Sidebottom should have been given out in the 20th over of the morning when Mahela Jayawardene claimed a catch at second slip off Dilhara Fernando.

A bouncer from Fernando hurried left-hander Sidebottom, the ball veered past the batsman's gloves, thudded into his shoulder and ballooned towards the slip cordon.

Jayawardene dived full length to grasp the chance and Australian umpire Daryl Harper conversed with colleague Aleem Dar.

Under the letter of the law the officials can only refer decisions if both are unsighted, and the subsequent move to ask third umpire Gamini Silva to determine whether it was a clean catch inferred Harper was confident the ball brushed the gloves on the way through.

Television pictures showed it had carried but the 'common sense' factor prevailed and Silva advised the on-field officials via walkie talkie that in his opinion the ball had hit only body and Sidebottom was given not out.

When he was eventually prised from the crease, it was the first of three quickfire dismissals which provided Muttiah Muralitharan with a 62nd five-wicket haul in Test cricket.