Openers lead Sri Lanka fightback

By our correspondents

June 11, 2016

LONDON: Sri Lanka’s openers shared a fluent century stand to lead their side to 162 for one in reply to England’s 416 on the second day of the third and final Test at Lord’s on Friday.

Kaushal Silva made an unbeaten 79 and Dimuth Karunaratne 50 for the touring side after Jonny Bairstow’s 167 not out carried England to a commanding first-innings total as they bid to wrap up the series 3-0.

Bairstow and Chris Woakes, who came together with the hosts in trouble at 227 for six, shared an excellent partnership of 144 on another fine day at the home of cricket.

Bairstow’s innings was the highest by an England wicketkeeper in a home Test and only six runs short of Alex Stewart’s all-time record.

Woakes contributed a polished 66, his first test fifty, hitting eight crisp fours in nearly three hours at the crease before he chipped a catch back to left-arm spinner Rangana Herath.

It was a tranquil second day at Lord’s.

Matt Prior, after ringing the bell at start of play, was invited on to the England balcony to catch up with old mates and down below Bairstow and Woakes made serene progress to their highest Test scores against an unthreatening Sri Lanka attack.

Woakes was England’s only wicket to fall before lunch. Bairstow moved sublimely to 156 by lunch. He also holds the highest score at Lord’s by an England No 6.

England’s slightly dicey overnight position was suitably refined to 384 for 7 by the time the clock reached 1pm.

They have got 400 in the first innings in a home Test and lost before, but not since 1998 when Muttiah Muralitharan was rampant at The Oval and his 16 wickets in the match enabled Sri Lanka to pull off an unlikely heist.

England’s innings subsided quickly after lunch with the last three wickets falling in the space of six overs.

Stuart Broad made a typically insecure appearance before slashing Suranga Lakmal to gully, Steven Finn - after surviving an lbw decision for Rangana Herath on review - top-edged the same bowler to deep backward square and James Anderson was caught at the wicket, defending a short ball from Shaminda Eranga.

Bairstow, whose brilliant 140 set up England’s innings victory in the first Test, went past 150 with his 17th four to continue his rich vein of form with the bat.

He made a costly error with the keeper’s gloves, however, spilling a routine catch off Woakes to give Karunaratne a reprieve on 28.

The Sri Lanka opener took advantage to get to 50 for the first time in the series before he nicked Steven Finn down the leg side and Bairstow held the catch to make partial amends for his blunder.

Silva was untroubled by a toothless England attack, hitting 10 fours, and Kusal Mendis moved smoothly to 25 not out at the close.

Score Board

England won toss

England 1st Innings

*A N Cook lbw b Pradeep 85

A D Hales c Mathews b Herath 18

N R D Compton c Chandimal b Lakmal 1

J E Root lbw b Lakmal 3

J M Vince b Pradeep 10

†J M Bairstow not out 167

M M Ali c Mathews b Herath 25

C R Woakes c and b Herath 66