Kandy, December 3:

Muttiah Muralitharan shattered the Test bowling mark and Sanath Jayasuriya exploded with the bat as Sri Lanka took charge of the first Test against England.

Sri Lanka, trailing by 93 runs on the first innings, easily wiped off the deficit and ended the third day’s play on 167-2 in second knock, a lead of 74 runs.

Muralitharan, took 6-55 as England, resuming at 186-6, were bowled out for 281. Jayasuriya then made a spectacular 78 — including six boundaries in one over from James Anderson — in what turned out to be his last Test innings.

The left-hander, Sri Lanka’s top scorer in both forms of the game, said later he was retiring from Test cricket after this match, but would continue to play one-dayers. Jayasuriya’s 78 on Monday was his highest Test score in 16 Tests since the last of his 14 centuries in Karachi in 2005 and was reportedly under pressure to call it a day or be axed.

Michael Vandort contributed 31 in an opening stand of 113 that was Sri Lanka’s best against England for the first wicket.

Jayasuriya was trapped leg-before by Matthew Hoggard and Vandort (49) was caught in the slips off Anderson, but Kumar Sangakkara (30 not out) and captain Mahela Jayawardene played out the day.

Sidebottom gave England the lead in the day’s first over when he drove Dilhara Fernando for a four and then flicked Muralitharan for another four to bring up his side’s 200.

Collingwood, looking at ease against Muralitharan, cut the spinner for a boundary and even reverse swept him for three runs.

Lasith Malinga broke the stand in his second over with the new ball when he forced Sidebottom to edge a low catch to wicket-keeper Prasanna Jayawardene.

Muralitharan removed Collingwood and had Hoggard stumped for his 710th wicket before Chaminda Vaas ended the innings by trapping Anderson LBW.