Sri Lanka recover after early blows

Mahela Jayawardene's team went from 26 for none to 27 for three in the space of 13 balls - before the captain and his fourth-wicket partner Chamara Silva put on an unbeaten century stand to lead them to 156 for three after 35 overs.

Sri Lanka's stop-start innings suffered most at the hands of Nathan Bracken, whose new-ball spell of two for eight in six overs contrasted markedly with his pace partner Shaun Tait's none for 33 in four.

After Jayawardene had chosen to bat first on a sunny morning, Sanath Jayasuriya and Upul Tharanga began promisingly - but then came that disastrous passage of play for the Sri Lankans.

First Jayasuriya played across and missed a straight ball from Bracken to go lbw, and then first change Glenn McGrath struck with only his third delivery.

Kumar Sangakkara was perhaps a little unfortunate to also go lbw for a duck, umpire Aleem Dar with the decision even though the ball appeared to clearing the stumps.

There was no doubt about Tharanga's departure in the next over, however, edging low to second slip where Matthew Hayden kept his cool to collect with Ricky Ponting threatening to dive across his sight line.

Jayawardene and Silva therefore came together on nought, and there was not a run off the bat for more than four overs until the latter off-drove McGrath for four to get off the mark from the 12th ball he faced.

The caution was necessary, but the re-introduction of Tait allowed the resumption of an acceptable run rate - before Ponting took the pace off the ball.

A combination of back-up seam and spin was unable, however, to break a stand of 129 as both batsman recorded unbeaten half-centuries.