Alec Stewart has admitted that the lbw decision that led to his downfall in the First Test against Sri Lanka in Galle was the "worst decision" of his career.

The ball from left-arm spinner Sanath Jayasuriya pitched outside leg and hit him high on the pads but he was still sent back to the pavilion by umpire Peter Manuel.

However, Stewart was quick to voice sympathy for the umpires in the modern game in which constant and vociferous appealing puts pressure on officials, as does the refusal of batsmen to walk.

He said: "Their job has been made much harder over the last four or five years with the extra cameras and angles that have been brought in and I'm sure there's more appealing, and people just don't walk like they probably did 25 years ago.

"It is a competitive game and when I first started playing cricket we were told that the opposition wouldn't walk and suggested that we did the same, and as for appealing, if you think you have a chance of getting someone out, then you appeal.

"It might not sound nice about the way the game should be played but it's a fact that is the way the game is played and it's up to the captain to settle things down as a team if things go too far."

After the First Test, four Sri Lankan players were fined for excessive appealing but such tactics cut little ice with Stewart. "I've no problem with them going up every ball appealing - that's up to them - but it does need strong umpires and match referee to make sure the game continues the way it should do," he said.

"All the appealing is just a bit of fun as far as I'm concerned. We know what they're like, we know they have always appealed and it's all down to the umpires to control it."

Stewart blamed the inexperience of umpires Manuel and AV Jayaprakash for the controversy during and following the Test. They were both officiating in their eighth Test and England's wicket-keeper/batsman has called on cricket's rulers to consider appointing more seasoned officials in future.

"The ICC will have to look at that and put an experienced umpire in as the neutral because I don't think you can do anything about the home official," said Stewart.

"It's important, especially in these games when we have men around the bat and the ball is turning - it's hard enough anyway and we have to make sure the officials don't go under pressure and the only way is through experience.

"Perhaps in the future it would be nice if someone had 20 Tests behind them at one end even if there was a less experienced umpire at the other end."

For next week's Second Test in Kandy, both umpires will be more experienced; South Africa's Rudi Koertzen has stood in 22 Tests, while Sri Lankan BC Cooray has 20 Tests behind him.

But regardless of who is officiating, Stewart is under no illusions about the difficulty of the task that lies ahead. "It's going to be very tough for us," he said. "We've gone one down in a three-Test series and we know what an excellent side they are at home, but if we can come away even with a drawn series that will be a brilliant result."

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