Rain puts Muralitharan's record chase on hold

 CricketMuttiah Muralitharan's quest to reach the pinnacle of Test bowling was yesterday held up by the elements rather than England.

Torrential rain terminated a second day dominated by Muralitharan's pursuit of the five wickets needed to stand alone as the most prolific bowler in Test history.

When the deluge began at Asgiriya, the 35-year-old was agonisingly close to surpassing Shane Warne's career tally of 708, having equalled his spinning rival's haul with the dismissal of debutant Ravi Bopara.

Nevertheless, it was Muralitharan who single-wristedly pulled back England's advantage in the first Test, with an unbroken spell of 20-9-28-4, as Michael Vaughan's men closed on 186 for six, a deficit of two runs on first innings.

The initial breakthrough came just as England were getting away from the Sri Lankans, as a fortuitous decision accounted for Michael Vaughan, adjudged caught at silly mid-off.

Bell perished for 83 against Muralitharan when he was well held by a diving Chamara Silva at short midwicket.

Bat dominated ball until Muralitharan was introduced for the eighth over.

Bell registered four of the 29 runs scored in the initial passage when he drove the first delivery of the day from Dilhara Fernando straight down the ground, one of seven boundaries in reaching a 57-ball 50.

Vaughan generally played the anchor role but brought up the century partnership with an emphatic pull for four off Chaminda Vaas.

England found it increasingly difficult to score off Muralitharan but Kevin Pietersen did release the shackles in customary manner when he reverse-swept a four shortly after the interval.

The 27-year-old was well set, in fact, when he misjudged one from Muralitharan, persisting from an around-the-wicket point of attack, to be trapped plumb in front.

The Sri Lankans believed Muralitharan had drawn level with Warne when Bopara prodded down on one which looped to one of two short-legs - it was referred to the third umpire in hope it had struck the batsman's boot but replays showed the contact had been with ground.

They did not have to wait long, however, as Bopara leg-glanced the next ball to calamitous effect.

And when Matt Prior flicked to midwicket off Fernando three overs later, England had lost five for 78 in just over two hours.

First Test Scoreboard

Overnight: Sri Lanka 188 (K Sangakkara 92, H Jayawardene 51; M Hoggard 4 for 29). Eng 49 for 1.

ENGLAND - First innings

M Vaughan c Silva b Muralitharan 37

I Bell c Silva b Muralitharan 83

K Pietersen lbw b Muralitharan 31

P Collingwood not out 14

R Bopara c Jayawardene b Muralitharan 8

M Prior c Mubarak b Fernando 0

R Sidebottom not out 1

Extras (b5, nb7, pens 0) 12

Total 6 wkts (63 overs) 186

Fall of wickets: 1-0, 2-107, 3-132, 4-170, 5-182, 6-185.

To bat: M J Hoggard, J M Anderson, M S Panesar.

Bowling: Vaas 15-3-60-1; Malinga 11-1-54-0; Muralitharan 23-11-30-4; Jayasuriya 2-0-9-0; Fernando 12-1-28-1.