England left Sri Lanka struggling to put together a decent first-innings total after denting the middle-order on the opening day of the first Test in Galle on Monday.

The hosts moved to 5-168 by tea at the Galle International Stadium, with skipper Mahela Jayawardene the lone batsman to offer resistance with an unbeaten 80.

Sri Lanka, electing to bat after winning the toss, were reduced to 3-15 by the fourth over after fast bowler James Anderson claimed two wickets off successive balls and Stuart Broad chipped in with the third.

Jayawardene retrieved the situation for the hosts by adding 52 for the fourth wicket with Thilan Samaraweera (20) and 61 for the fifth with young batsman Dinesh Chandimal (27).

Wicket-keeper Prasanna Jayawardene was unbeaten on 21, having helped his skipper add 40 for the sixth wicket.

Anderson, who had a review for leg-before wicket against opener Lahiru Thirimanne turned down in his first over, removed the left-hander in his second over to leave Sri Lanka at 1-11.

Thirimanne hung his bat out to edge an easy catch to Graeme Swann at second slip and give Anderson his 250th wicket in his 67th Test.

The fast bowler added to the tally off the next delivery as veteran Kumar Sangakkara edged a rising ball to wicket-keeper Matt Prior.

Mahela Jayawardene denied Anderson a hat-trick with a defensive push, but lost his partner Tillakaratne Dilshan in Broad’s next over.

Dilshan, who edged Broad twice over third-man for boundaries, was caught by England captain Andrew Strauss at first slip as he attempted another wild stroke.

Samaraweera stayed with his captain until lunch, but fell soon after resumption when he was run out, backing up too far at the non-striker’s end when Anderson deflected a ball on to the stumps.

Chandimal, a 22-year-old playing only his third Test, got off the mark with a six off Monty Panesar over mid-wicket and played fluently on both sides of the wicket to boost the total.

Debutant Samit Patel earned his first Test wicket when Chandimal holed out to the cover region while trying to loft the left-arm spinner out of the ground.

Panesar conceded just 25 runs in his 18 overs, but Swann’s 14 wicketless overs cost 49 runs on a pitch that is already providing uneven bounce.

The tourists preferred Patel to Ravi Bopara, who could have played only as a specialist batsman after a side strain ruled him out of bowling in the series.

Sri Lanka left out Chamara Silva, who hit 163 against the tourists in a practice match last week, to play Chandimal.