England seamers bounce back in second Test

Andy Caddick and his fellow England seamers, who were flayed all round Lords by Sri Lanka's batsmen two weeks ago, returned to form with a vengeance in the second Test at Edgbaston on Thursday.

Caddick captured three for 47 to lead the way as Sri Lanka were dismissed for 162 after being put in to bat on the rain-hit opening day.

England survived seven overs against Muttiah Muralitharan, though not without some anxiety, as they reached the close on 24 without loss.

Caddick found effective allies in Matthew Hoggard (2-55), Andrew Flintoff (2-27) and Alex Tudor (2-25), though Alec Stewart took a share of the individual honours by holding three catches to complete 200 Test wicketkeeping dismissals.

Stewart, who has now been behind the stumps in 66 of his 117 Tests, had a hand in the first three dismissals to remove openers Marvan Atapattu and Sanath Jayasuriya, then added the wicket of Kumar Sangakarra.

Yet the day belonged to England's four pace bowlers, three of whom had been in the attack against which the touring team piled up 555 for eight declared in the drawn first Test of the two-match series.

Caddick, below his best in the first Test, got the ball to lift awkwardly at times, with two of his wickets coming in a telling phase just before tea when the touring team slumped from 96 for three to 108 for six.

It was Caddick and Hoggard who began Sri Lanka's troubles by reducing them to 23 for two in the space of five balls.

CAUGHT BEHIND

Atapattu pushed tentatively at Hoggard just outside off stump and was caught behind by Stewart for 13.

Four balls later, Jayasuriya fell to Caddick for eight. The Sri Lanka captain got an outside edge and Stewart flung himself in front of first slip to hold the catch.

The damage was being repaired, mainly through some five strokes by Mahela Jayawardene, when his third wicket partner Sangakkara chased a wide one from Andrew Flintoff and was caught for 16 by Stewart after a stand of 53.

Sri Lanka plunged into deep trouble when they lost three more wickets for 12 runs shortly before the interval.

Caddick was again to the fore in this spell by dispatching Jayawardene, who made 47 in 60 deliveries, and Russel Arnold (1) with the aid of catches at second slip by Flintoff.

There was a stoppage of almost an hour for rain soon after tea but,when play resumed in lovely evening sunshine the Sri Lankans' problems were compounded by Tudor.

Recalled for his second spell of the day, Tudor had Hashan Tillekeratne LBW with his first ball and removed Nuwan Zoysa with his fifth delivery which the batsman hooked to Flintoff at long leg.

After England wrapped up the Sri Lankan innings in 52.5 overs, there was time for Muralitharan to cause immediate concern among England's batsmen when the off-spinner's fifth delivery had Michael Vaughan offering an unaccepted low chance to first slip.

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Mail Cricket Editor