Lahiru Thirimanne led a stubborn Sri Lankan resistance campaign in the first Test on Saturday after England captain Joe Root's 228 had lifted the tourists’ hopes of a quick victory.
Thirimanne made an unbeaten 76 and Kusal Perera 62 as Sri Lanka reached 156 for two in its second innings, needing another 130 to reach England’s first innings 421.
Root’s distinction
Root’s fourth Test double century was the highlight of the third day. He became the seventh England batsman to complete 8,000 Test runs and is the first England player to hit two double hundreds as skipper.
However, England lost six quick wickets in the morning session as it slipped from 372 for four to be all out for 421.
Scorecard
Sri Lanka — 1st innings: 135.
England — 1st innings: Z. Crawley c de Silva b Embuldeniya 9, D. Sibley c Thirimanne b Embuldeniya 4, J. Bairstow c Mendis b Embuldeniya 47, J. Root c Embuldeniya b D. Perera 228, D. Lawrence c Mendis b D. Perera 73, J. Buttler c Dickwella b Fernando 30, S. Curran b Fernando 0, D. Bess run out 0, J. Leach lbw b D. Perera 4, M. Wood c Dickwella b D. Perera 2, S. Broad (not out) 11; Extras (b-7, nb-6): 13; Total (in 117.1 overs): 421.
Fall of wickets: 1-10, 2-17, 3-131, 4-304, 5-372, 6-372, 7-382, 8-398, 9-406.
Sri Lanka bowling: Embuldeniya 45-4-176-3, Fernando 14-1-44-2, Hasaranga 15-1-63-0, D. Perera 36.1-2-109-4, Shanaka 7-1-22-0.
Sri Lanka — 2nd innings: K. Perera c Leach b Curran 62, L. Thirimanne (batting) 76, K. Mendis c Buttler b Leach 15, L. Embuldeniya (batting) 0; Extras (b-1, nb-2): 3; Total (for two wkts. in 61 overs): 156.
Fall of wickets: 1-101, 2-155.
England bowling: Broad 8-6-3-0, Curran 7-0-25-1, Bess 13-2-30-0, Wood 7-1-20-0, Leach 20-2-67-1, Root 6-0-10-0.
