KANDY, Sri Lanka - England swing bowler Matthew Hoggard claimed 4 for 21 as Sri Lanka slumped to a precarious 86 for 5 at lunch on the opening day of the first test on Saturday.

Sri Lanka won the toss in the morning and elected to bat first on a dry pitch that looked ideal for batting.

However, Hoggard produced a superb 10-over spell with the new ball, maintaining a tight line and length and finding some swing.

The in-form Kumar Sangakkara, the one batsman who looked comfortable against the swinging ball, provided the only resistance with 39 not out off 61 deliveries with six boundaries.

Wicket-keeper Prasanna Jayawardene finished the first session on 23 having helped add 44 runs for the sixth wicket with Sangakkara.

Veteran opener Sanath Jayasuriya (10) started the innings positively with a brace of boundaries before being brilliantly caught by Kevin Peitersen at cover point off left-arm Ryan Sidebottom.

Opener Michael Vandort (eight) mistimed a checked drive and chipped a simple catch to Michael Vaughan at mid on.

Straight after the first drinks break of the day the wickets started to tumble fast as Hoggard dismissed skipper Mahela Jayawardene (one) with a perfectly-pitched outswinger.

Chamara Silva (two) fell to a similar swinging delivery, pushing forward and edging behind to wicket-keeper Matthew Prior.

Five balls later Hoggard managed to seam the ball in the opposite direction and found another outside edge, this time off left-hander Jehan Mubarak who departed for a duck on his recall to the test team.

England had earlier preferred all rounder Ravi Bopara to middle order batsman Owais Shah and picked fast bowler James Anderson ahead of Steve Harmison.