Giles led England's bowlers with three wickets

Sri Lanka failed to make the most of some positive batting against England on the opening day of the second Test, reaching 277-7 by stumps.

Despite dominating with the bat for much of the day, the hosts lost wickets at vital times, and England enjoyed several lucky breaks.

Spinner Ashley Giles took three wickets and recalled seamer James Kirtley two.

Captain Hashan Tillakaratne was 45 not out at stumps, having just been joined by Kumara Dharmasena.

A four-man attack, with Paul Collingwood contributing some part-time medium-pace, was exposed as thin as Tillakaratne Dilshan and Mahela Jayawardene added a brisk 103 for the fourth-wicket.

Dilshan top-scored with 63.

After losing the toss on a pitch likely to help spin later, England need to bat as soon as possible.

That will mean taking the remaining three wickets quickly on day two, something they have failed to do in the series so far.

The tourists surprised many by dropping Richard Johnson and Matthew Hoggard, their opening bowlers from the first Test, to make space for an extra batsman.

Nasser Hussain was rehabilitated after missing the drawn opening match with a throat infection, while Paul Collingwood was retained after impressing on debut.

Dilshan was unlucky to be dismissed for 63

Kirtley repaid the faith of the selectors when he struck in the seventh over to have opener Marvan Atapattu lbw for 11.

Kumar Sangakkara's impressive innings was cut short for 34 after he was the victim in a chaotic run out, when a poor call by Sanath Jayasuriya saw Giles' throw from mid-off catch him well short.

Jayasuriya fell to Giles for 32 on the stroke of lunch, chasing a turning delivery down the leg side.

Although the opener had struggled against the left-armer, replays showed he may not have got an edge, but wicket-keeper Chris Read was still credited with a diving catch.

Dilshan struck eight boundaries in his second Test half-century, a milestone that occupied just 70 deliveries.

Giles, who took eight wickets in the first Test, was forced into defensive mode, bowling over the wicket, but Jayawardene still lofted a straight six off the veteran on his way to 45.

Every time England put a new cherry into James Kirtley's hand he takes a wicket From Goatman Have your say on TMS

It was only Jayawardene's over-confidence that broke the stand, his sweep ballooning off a top edge for Kirtley to collect with a full-length dive at deep backward square.

England made the most of their good luck as Dilshan gloved a short-pitched ball from Andrew Flintoff behind.

Giles then claimed Thilan Samaraweera lbw as the batsman offered no shot, despite striking him well outside off-stump, leaving Sri Lanka 206-6.

But the tourists were again exposed by a 64-run seventh wicket stand before Kirtley had Vaas lbw for 33 with the second over of the new ball.

Sri Lanka: Hashan Tillakaratne (capt), Marvan Atapattu, Sanath Jayasuriya, Kumar Sangakkara, Mahela Jayawardene, Tillakaratne Dilshan, Thilan Samaraweera, Upul Chandana, Chaminda Vaas, Dinusha Fernando, Muttiah Muralitharan.