Flintoff flourishes after England wobble

Two innings of immense power from England's two biggest guns, Marcus Trescothick and Andrew Flintoff, and more miserly bowling from Muttiah Muralitharan dominated a fluctuating first day in the third and final Test. At stumps England, after being in serious trouble at 139 for five, had recovered to reach a comparatively respectable 259 for eight.

After the first hour it looked massively promising for the tourists, as Trescothick looked to capitalise on a change in fortune for Michael Vaughan, who won the toss for the first time in the series. On a hot, sunny morning - with temperatures up in the mid-80s - England included Lancashire fast bowler James Anderson in place of Paul Collingwood. Sri Lanka made two changes to their attack, with one Fernando, Dilhara, replacing another, Dinusha, and leg-spinning all-rounder Upul Chandana came in at the expense of Kumar Dharmasena.

Although Chaminda Vaas began with a maiden, Trescothick was soon into his stride with a flurry of cuts, hooks and drives. He was fortunate not to be run out on 33 after a mix-up with Vaughan left him stranded mid-pitch, but Marvan Atapattu failed to gather the ball cleanly. The Somerset left-hander moved to his half century off just 39 balls by chopping Samaraweera away for his 11th boundary.

Atapattu was again culpable in the 10th over, when he couldn't hold on to a slice from Vaughan at backward point off Thilan Samaraweera. Drinks arrived with England on 75 without loss, but Sri Lanka's first breakthrough followed shortly afterwards when Vaughan was caught at slip by Mahela Jayawardene, pushing forward at Chandana.

Mark Butcher started quietly but hoisted England's hundred by easing Chandana through the covers for his first boundary. When Fernando dropped short he was pulled sweetly through midwicket, but Muralitharan made a significant breakthrough with the last ball before lunch, inducing an edge to slip from Trescothick (70) with a sharply turning off break.

England were 108 for two, and Fernando added to England's difficulties after the interval, finding away movement to induce a thin edge from Butcher through to Kumar Sangakkara behind the stumps. Nasser Hussain, after a swept boundary off Muralitharan, fell to Vaas for the third consecutive time in the series, lbw as he was hit on the knee roll by a ball that had looked destined for his off stump.

Flintoff opened his account with a sweetly-timed straight boundary, but England slipped into deeper trouble when Graham Thorpe, having batted with composure for three quarters of an hour, was plumb lbw as he went back on his stumps to Muralitharan. It was the fourth time in a row that Murali had accounted for the Surrey left-hander. Five wickets had fallen for just 61 runs.

Gareth Batty, promoted above Chris Read to number seven, joined Flintoff to maintain a largely watching brief as the Lancastrian flexed his muscles against the spinners. Chandana was drilled straight and Muralitharan dispatched through cover point as Flintoff moved to his highest score of the series. A big six over long on off Chandana buoyed England's recovery hopes further, and Batty caught the mood with an extra cover boundary on the threshold of tea.

While Batty took Muralitharan after the break Flintoff's exuberance continued, with a straight drive off Vaas that might just have decapitated Aleem Dar had Pakistan's excellent umpire not sat down in a hurry. Flintoff's second six followed over midwicket in the same over to complete his sixth Test 50 off 69 balls. Another followed of Chandana before Batty, having provided sterling support, flat-batted a Chandana long hop to Atapattu at mid on. The Sri Lankan opener had to leave the field after splitting the webbing on his left hand taking the catch.

Chandana hurt his hand, albeit less seriously, attempting to catch a drive off the meat when Flintoff was on 68. His fourth and biggest six followed off the same bowler before the fun ended. Flintoff, on 77, drove a fraction too early at Muralitharan, who took an excellent low catch that had to be confirmed by the TV umpire before Flintoff departed.

Chris Read provided the day's fifth six, driving Chandana over long on, to post England's 250, a total that neither side achieved when they last met here in early 2001. A needless run out marred the closing stages just after Sri Lanka took the new ball, as Ashley Giles hesitated, then called for a single to cover and was left well short of his ground after being sent back by Read.