The tourists won the toss but paceman Flintoff had taken three for 24 in 12 overs with debutant Jon Lewis and Matthew Hoggard taking two wickets apiece as Sri Lanka reached tea with Chaminda Vaas 10 not out and Lasith Malinga unbeaten on 13.

Sri Lanka, looking to square the series at 1-1 after England won the second Test at Edgbaston by six wickets, lost three wickets for two runs in 16 balls to go from 84 for one to 86 for four at lunch.

That became 97 for five when Tillakaratne Dilshan (eight) was caught at second slip by Flintoff off Lewis, enjoying his first Test having been 12th man on five previous occasions.

Sanath Jayasuriya, who had not previously played on this tour, had been recalled after being persuaded to end his Test retirement by Sri Lanka chairman of selectors Asantha de Mel.

But, batting down the order instead of his usual opening role, the 36-year-old left-hander was powerless to prevent a further collapse.

On four, he failed to get to the pitch to a 90mph (150kph) delivery from the fired-up Flintoff, bowling much quicker than at Edgbaston, and was caught off the shoulder of the bat by Kevin Pietersen in the gully to leave Sri Lanka in deep trouble at 105 for six.

Two more well-taken close catches, by Flintoff and Andrew Strauss, saw the end of Farveez Maharoof and Chamara Kapugedera as England's seamers maintained their grip.

But Malinga, on two, was dropped by a diving Alastair Cook at backward square leg.

Earlier, a stand of 82 between left-handers Upul Tharanga (34) and wicket-keeper Kumar Sangakkara (36) kept England at bay for most of the first session after Lewis had struck in his first over in Test cricket.

Flintoff initiated the slump by having Sangakkara caught by wicket-keeper Geraint Jones although replays suggested the batsman had missed the ball.

Jones was in the action again when Hoggard had Tharanga caught behind and Flintoff then had Sri Lanka counterpart Mahela Jayawardene taken by the Kent keeper for a three-ball nought.

Sri Lanka had made just 192 and 141 in the first innings at Lord's and Edgbaston respectively.

And on Friday they saw 30-year-old Gloucestershire seamer Lewis, in for the dropped Sajid Mahmood, strike with his third legitimate ball when left-hander Michael Vandort (one), who scored a battling hundred at Edgbaston, played on after inside edging an attempted cover-drive.