Sri Lanka were struggling at 17-4 before Kandamby (53) and Mathews (52) led the fightback with an 82-run stand for the sixth wicket to help their team post a competitive total in the day-night match.

It was a rare sporting gesture by England captain Andrew Strauss that allowed Mathews to resume his innings after he was run out.

Mathews turned England paceman Graham Onions to square-leg and completed the first run before colliding with the bowler going for a second, with wicket-keeper Matt Prior effecting the run out after receiving the throw.

The Sri Lankan batsman stood briefly at the pitch before walking back to the pavilion, but Strauss called the batsman back.

Mathews, who was then on 51, failed to make the most of the opportunity as he added just one run more to his score before being caught behind off Luke Wright. He hit six fours in his 73-ball knock.

Kandamby smashed five fours in his 82-ball knock before being run out.

James Anderson (3-20) and Onions (2-58) earlier gave a superb display of fast bowling in overcast conditions to rattle Sri Lanka in their opening spells.

The England duo bowled at a lively pace on a pitch having pace and bounce, taking just 5.2 overs to wreck the top order after Strauss had elected to field.

Paceman Stuart Broad was the other main wicket-taker with 3-49, including two off successive deliveries when he bowled tailenders Muttiah Muralitharan and Lasith Malinga.

Strauss’s decision to put Sri Lanka in to bat in seamer-friendly conditions produced instant result as Onions had Sanath Jayasuriya caught behind with his fifth delivery for no score.

In-form Tillakaratne Dilshan (two) fell to Anderson in the next over, with Eoin Morgan taking a low catch at point.

Sri Lanka then suffered twin blows when Mahela Jayawardene and skipper Kumar Sangakkara fell at the same total to leave their team reeling at 17-4.

Jayawardene (nine) was trapped leg-before by Anderson, while the Sri Lankan captain (one) was caught by Strauss in the slips.

Kandamby was involved in two useful partnerships to prop up the innings, adding 64 for the fifth wicket with Thilan Samaraweera (30) and 82 for the next with Mathews.

Scoreboard

Tillakaratne Dilshan c Morgan b Anderson 2

Sanath Jayasuriya c Prior b Onions 0

Kumar Sangakkara c Strauss b Onions 1

Mahela Jayawardene lbw b Anderson 9

Thilan Samaraweera c Collingwood b Broad 30

Thilan Kandamby run out 53

Angelo Mathews c Prior b Wright 52

Nuwan Kulasekera not out 17

Muttiah Muralitharan b Broad 18

Lasith Malinga b Broad 0

Ajantha Mendis c Strauss b Anderson 5

Extras: (4lb, 21w) 25

TOTAL: (all out) 212

Overs: 47.3.

Fall of wickets: 1-7, 2-7, 3-17, 4-17, 5-81, 6-163, 7-176, 8-197, 9-197.

Bowling: Jimmy Anderson 9.3-2-20-3 (3w), Graham Onions 10-0-58-2 (5w), Stuart Broad 10-0-49-3 (5w), Luke Wright 6-0-34-1 (1w), Paul Collingwood 8-0-24-0 (2w), Graeme Swann 4-0-23-0 (1w).

Toss: England

Umpires: Aleem Dar, Pakistan, and Billy Bowden, New Zealand.

Third umpire: Tony Hill, New Zealand. Match referee: Javagal Srinath, India.