Knight shines again in Adelaide heat

Another weighty contribution from Nick Knight set up a total of 279 for seven for England against Sri Lanka at the Adelaide Oval. Knight made 88 and featured in successive half-century partnerships with Marcus Trescothick and Michael Vaughan, while Alec Stewart completed a half century.

Knight kept his position as Trescothick's opening partner despite the return of Michael Vaughan, who batted at number three on his return to the side at the expense of Owais Shah. For Sri Lanka Chamila Gamage replaced the injured Muttiah Muralitharan.

It was Gamage who made the first breakthrough after Nasser Hussain chose to bat first in extreme afternoon heat. Trescothick (39), who produced a booming cover drive to post England's 50, lost his off stump looking for a leg-side boundary.

Vaughan was missed on one by wicket-keeper Kumar Sangakkara, who couldn't hold on to what would have been a fine one-handed catch to his right off Gamage. Vaughan looked to pick up from where he left off in the Ashes series, with boundaries off Aravinda de Silva and Dilhara Fernando, but when he had reached 28 he skied a pull at Fernando to Chaminda Vaas at mid-wicket.

Much as they had done in Sydney, Sanath Jayasuriya and Aravinda de Silva kept the run rate within reasonable bounds before Hussain (18) was bowled via inside edge and pad by Jayasuriya.

Knight soldiered on, providing some relief with a swept six off de Silva, but on 88 he played loosely at Vaas for Sangakkara to hold on to the resultant edge. Knight has made 440 funs in his last seven one-day innings for England. Ian Blackwell was then lbw first ball to leave England teetering at 206 for five.

As he has so often done before, Alec Stewart recharged the innings. He and Paul Collingwood added 54 in eight overs to revitalise England, taking 16 off one over from Fernando, including a Collingwood six over square-leg.

By the time Stewart (51) and Collingwood (18) were dismissed, England were in sight of respectability.