Michael Vaughan scored 87 and Alastair Cook 81 to help England to 258 for five at stumps on the first day of the second Test against Sri Lanka on Sunday.
Vaughan was in glorious form, stroking 12 boundaries during a 139-ball innings, as he added 133 for the first wicket with Cook having won the toss and batted on a fine batting pitch.
Cook later shared partnerships of 35 with Ian Bell (15) and 66 with Paul Collingwood (49 not out) as England bounced back from their first Test defeat with a more assured batting performance.
Sri Lanka clawed their way back into the game in the final session with four wickets including two in two balls from Lasith Malinga after the hosts took the second new ball.
Cook's 234-ball innings was ended by a poor lbw decision with the ball missing leg stump and Ravi Bopara was bowled first ball by a brilliant swinging yorker.
When bad light stopped play after 87 overs, Collingwood was left unbeaten with Matthew Prior on 10.
Malinga finished with 2-57 from 14 overs and Muttiah Muralitharan toiled for 34 overs for his 2-85.
In the morning, Sri Lanka's bowlers rarely beat the bat and the hosts squandered the only chance offered, dropping Cook in the slips when the left-hander had made just nine.
CAUTIOUS COOK
Vaughan was in sublime touch early on, especially off the front foot as he drove through the off side.
Cook, who scored a duck and four in the first Test, was more cautious and worked harder for his runs.
Sri Lanka only broke through courtesy of a catch between the legs of Jehan Mubarak at short leg as Vaughan tried to clip Muralitharan through the leg-side.
Muralitharan grabbed his second wicket immediately after tea as Bell edged on to his pad and was caught one-handed by Mubarak at short leg.
A few minutes later Pietersen (one) was controversially given out caught at slip after edging Chaminda Vaas.
Chamara Silva at second slip dived to his left to scoop up the ball and Kumar Sangakkara at first slip snatched the rebound. Television replays, though, indicated that the ball may have touched the ground.
England made two changes from the team that lost the first Test by 88 runs, including fast bowlers Steve Harmison and debutante Stuart Broad.
James Anderson was dropped after the first Test in Kandy and Matthew Hoggard was ruled out with a back injury.
Sri Lanka also made one change, including opener Upul Tharanga in place of the retired Sanath Jayasuriya.
(Editing by Sonia Oxley)