England dominated the first day of the second test against Sri Lanka on Thursday after Liam Plunkett claimed his best test bowling figures of three for 43.
Plunkett helped England bowl the tourists out for just 141 in 51.2 overs as the majority of their batsmen failed to come to terms with the moving ball.
England, seeking to bounce back after drawing the first test at Lord's when Sri Lanka had followed on, reached 138 for three at stumps with Kevin Pietersen leading the way, unbeaten on 30.
Test cricket's second-most prolific bowler Muttiah Muralitharan claimed two of the three wickets to fall.
England were cruising at 56 without loss when Marcus Trescothick was caught behind for 27 after he was defeated by a top-spinner from Muralitharan's third delivery.
It became a double blow when Andrew Strauss was run out for 30 after a misunderstanding with his partner Alastair Cook.
Cook was dropped on the same score, at 69 for two, by skipper Mahela Jayawardene at slip off Muralitharan. Another breakthrough could have given the game a different complexion.
Pietersen's entry, as usual, was anything but dull. His first two scoring strokes were consecutive edges for four through gully and then vacant third slip off Lasith Malinga.
The following over he was more in control as he planted a Muralitharan delivery back over his head and onto the pavilion roof for six.
As the stand between Cook and Pietersen reached 56, Muralitharan again produced the goods for his team when they needed it, trapping Cook leg-before with his deadly 'doosra'. Cook made 23 in just over an hour.
Earlier, the 21-year-old Plunkett, in his fourth test, snared three of the top four Sri Lanka batsmen to give England the upper hand.
His victims included Jayawardene who edged his third ball to wicketkeeper Geraint Jones and departed without scoring.
After Jayawardene's 61 and 119 at Lord's, it was a wicket that met with understandable jubilation by the England players with Sri Lanka at 16 for three.
Five overs later Matthew Hoggard claimed his second wicket when Thilan Samaraweera (3) deflected an outswinger to the reliable Paul Collingwood at fourth slip. Sri Lanka were in deep trouble at 25 for four.
Kumar Sangakkara became the fifth wicket when he edged a Plunkett delivery angled across him to Jones. His hard-fought 25 had taken 87 minutes.
The tourists would have been further humiliated had it not been for Chaminda Vaas (30 not out) and Malinga (26) who added 50 for the ninth wicket.
