Sri Lanka's four-pronged spin attack gave its team a chance to square the three-match test series against England by picking up four wickets in the morning session Friday on the third day.
England went to lunch at 131 for four, leading by 85 runs.
England did well in the first hour of the morning session, having lost only night-watchman Jack Leach as Rory Burns and Keaton Jennings erased the first-innings deficit of 46 runs. They went on to add 73 runs for the second wicket before the collapse.
England's captain Joe Root, right, congratulates Rory Burns for scoring a half century during the third day's play of the second test cricket match between Sri Lanka and England in Pallekele, Sri Lanka, Friday, Nov. 16, 2018. (AP PhotoEranga Jayawardena)
Sri Lanka bounced back after the morning drinks break with Akila Dananjaya getting the breakthrough by dismissing Jennings for 26.
England used the sweep, reverse sweep and paddle sweep shots to good effect scoring at 4.3 runs an over in the session.
But Jennings attempted a reverse sweep and ended up gloving one to first slip where Dhananjaya de Silva completed the catch.
Burns (59), who made a maiden half-century in test cricket, was given out leg before wicket when he attempted to sweep Malinda Pushpakumara. In the next over, Ben Strokes was ruled leg before wicket to Dilruwan Perera as England slumped to 109 for four after being 77 for one.
England leads the three-match series after winning the first test in Galle by 211 runs.
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