Match now starts at 0630 GMT.
Sorry to say the match is going to start 2 hours late because of bad weather is Galle.

A vital match for England, no matter the result other than an England win - Sri Lanka will win the series 1-0. So England will be hoping the delay will be short - and the weather will turn for the better.
I hope that for cricket and for Gale - we get a result here.
Post your match comments here please.

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Ern

Sri Lanka are 44/2

Everything happening this morning. 2 dodgy decisions, 1 drop catch by Collingwood of all people and Sangakkara nicking one and being given not out. Very poor umpiring and its that man Harper once again.

If England can break this partnership before lunch, they will be in a very strong position.

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434, world record for the shortest period. Whos choking now?

Well, Harmison has just removed Sangakkara, Sri Lanka's in-form dangerman for 46. Sri Lanka are now 134/3 after Sangakkara and Jayawardene had put on 88 for the third wicket, with Silva on 1 from 24 balls as Harmison and Sidebottom test him. Hoggard is apparently struggling with his back a little, and Panesar is bowling too short, but Sidebottom seems to be bowling well (all these 'seems' and 'apparently's are because I'm following on Cricinfo in the absence of a TV in my office) and Harmison steaming in and bowling really well. He has two wickets and current figures of 12-2-26-2, excellent stuff and really implying confidence and form are returning. I wouldn't have questioned his desire and never his ability, but he has needed confidence so much for a long time now and I'm glad to see he has it in this test.

Hoping we can bowl them out for 250, and it will be critical to bat once and build a huge total so we're not batting on the last day against Murali.

Edit - well, suprise, surprise! Harmison gets Silva for 1 from a tortuous 26 balls. Harmy now has 3-26 from 12.2 overs.

I have had internet problems all morning but also missed some of the cricket as i had to go to my daughters nativity play.

Where do we start?

Hoggard is clearly only half fit and shouldn't be playing but Harmison has carried on from the last game and has bowled well,probably the best he has bowled in the last 2 years.

The umpiring has been shocking but these two have been all series anyway.No way was Vandort out,that decision was in its own way just as bad as the Cook one in the last test as if you are 6ft 4' and the ball hits you around the kneeroll then their is a fair chance it is going over the top and that doesn't even take into account it was probably missing leg stump anyway.

Tharanga was also unlucky but Sangakkara got away with one as he must have edged that one as the bat was way off the floor and away from the body and the noise was loud to suggest a nick.

Sri Lanka will be the happier of the two sides tonight but a good session for England first up could swing this match their way.I hope the weather doesn't interrupt proceedings as it could be a fascinating game.

Got our dughters nativity play done last week greg, but I had an internet problem this morning also.

Strange shortened day - I think with the weather it's probably going to end a draw with a series defeat for England.

But on this first day I will swap that for the possitives, Harmison bowled very well and if he is running into form - that's far more important than the result in one match IMO.

I agree Hoggard should have been rested - yet again like with Flintoff numerous times, a player has been rushed back into the side because he is a major player, just plain stupid IMO.

It makes the case even more for the scrapping of contracts, the setting up of a large England squad - so players who are injured can be replaced, and routine rotation after a long spell of playing.

Link to BBC report and scorcard: BBC SPORT | Cricket | England | Latest scores

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Ern

Actually it makes the case for picking fit players.

Interesting opening day and honours about even although you already do fear that the pitch is yet again too slow (allied with the time that's inevitably going to be lost over the next 4 days) for both sides and in particular England with the Murali factor to force a positive result. Given some of the comments made by Jayawardene about England's negative aproach to the first innings at Colombo I'd love for him to talk me through the anaemic Sri Lankan batting display from lunch onwards when the pitch had pretty well flattened out. Yes Sri Lanka only need to draw the match and yes England led by Harmison (I agree with Greg best spell in an England shirt since his opening burst in Karachi) did bowl pretty well but the lack of ambition shown certainly does not befit the impending 2nd best side in test cricket.

England still havent learnt from this! It was clear watching Hoggard bowl he was holding back a bit. If thats the case it would have been better to have played Broad. I know the ball moved around lots first up but the extravagant swing didnt account for a single wicket.

I was nice to see Harmy bowl well again and prove a lot of people wrong. He is still the one bowler England cannot do without.

As for the situation of the match its nicely poised at the moment, if Sri Lanka get more than 275 England may well struggle, especially as they will have to bat last to possibly chase a difficult score to win.

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Mark.

England or any other team for that matter can only pick fit players - if they have them to pick.

Players playing 5 or 6 test match series, then go onto play a 7 match one day series is to much.

The only way for a country to guarentee they can play fit players - is to make sure they don't rush back into sides half fit players.

Half the answer is to limit the amount of matches a player can play, this will reduce stress related injuries - and it will stop players from going stale and playing themselves out of form.

The other half of the answer is to like you say -the"picking of fit players" only.

PS: Or better still seperate the PJ cricket from the mainstream cricket.

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Ern

England had Stuart Broad match ready available and yet they selected Hoggard who was bowling well within himself. I know we're making the same points over a couple of threads, but surely someone has to stand up and justify that decision? It would be a big loss for England to have Hoggard miss out on the ideal bowling conditions of New Zealand just to risk him half fit on tricky wickets here.

This isn't rotation but selecting players who are 100% match fit for a five day test.