MANCHESTER (England), June 16: England, fired by the fast bowling of Matthew Hoggard and Alex Tudor, forced Sri Lanka to follow on 259 behind on the fourth day of the third and final Test at Old Trafford on Sunday.

With seamer Andy Caddick ruled out for the remainder of the match by a strained left side, the rest of the attack rose to the occasion and dismissed Sri Lanka for 253. Hoggard captured three for 38 and Tudor took four for 65.

When the touring team batted again immediatly after tea, Hoggard continued their torment by dispatching Sanath Jayasuriya for 26. They were 63 for one when play ended with a scheduled 34 overs left.

Sri Lanka’s problems have been compounded because injured opener Marvan Atapattu is not able to bat, having retired hurt for 10 late on the third day after being struck on the right hand by a delivery from Andrew Flintoff.

England shrugged off Caddick’s absence by making early inroads when Sri Lanka resumed at their overnight 130 for one.

Mahela Jayawardene, who had been missed on 15 by Ashley Giles at deep square leg off Tudor, added just two more before he tried to pull the same bowler but succeeded only in giving him a return catch from a skied drive.

Kumar Sangakkara went shortly afterwards for 40, driving vigorously at Hoggard and edging to Graham Thorpe at first slip.

Flintoff then had a hand in the next two wickets either side of lunch.

Firstly, he produced a short pitched delivery that Aravinda de Silva, on 18, tried in vain to keep down.

Flintoff then held a catch at deep mid-wicket to remove Hashan Tillekeratne.

England swiftly cut down the rest of the batting after they took the second new ball at 221 for five, the bowling of Hoggard and Tudor proving so effective that their figures for the day when the innings ended were three for 21 and three for 31 respectively.