England battling to avoid defeat

England were fighting with their backs to the wall to save the first cricket Test against Sri Lanka after being forced to follow-on in Galle yesterday. Dismissed for 253 in their first innings, England trailing by 217 runs, lost the wickets of first innings century-maker Marcus Trescothick and skipper Nasser Hussain to be 118 for two wickets at the close of the fourth day.

England still require a further 99 runs with eight wickets in hand to avoid an innings defeat, going into the fifth and final day today. Sri Lanka scored 470 for five wickets in their first innings.

Trescothick who made 122 in the first innings once again batted resolutely to make an impressive half-century - 57 in 197 minutes before being ruled out caught behind the wicket on the sweep off Sanath Jayasuriya. Trescothick gave England a fighting chance by sharing an opening partnership of 101 with Michael Atherton.

Hussain's bad luck with the umpires continued from Pakistan when he was ruled out lbw to Muttiah Muralitharan for one, four runs later. Atherton stuck it out till the end of the day with Graham Thorpe (2 not out) to remain unbeaten on 44.

England resuming at 202 for four in the first innings crashed to 253 all out before lunch on the fourth morning. Sri Lanka Skipper Jayasuriya in a sensational spell of left-arm spin bowling took three wickets for eight runs to force England to follow-on.

England folded for 253, losing their remaining six wickets for the addition of just 51 runs.

After fast bowler Chaminda Vaas had made the initial breakthrough by taking the wickets of Trescothick (122) and Graeme Hick (5), Jayasuriya ran through the rest of the batting in a sevenover spell that brought him three wickets for eight runs.

He began the day by having nightwatchman Robert Croft caught at silly point by Mahela Jayawardene for nine, and went on to take the wickets of Craig White (25), and Andy Caddick (0) in one over. Off-spinner Muralitharan finished the England innings off when Tillekeratne Dilshan latched onto a brilliant one-handed diving catch at slip to dismiss Ashley Giles for four.