Lanka in trouble

After England had declared their first innings on 377 for eight, Sri Lanka reached 112 for three on the first uninterrupted day of the rain-affected match, leaving England 81 runs ahead.

Stand-in captain Kumar Sangakkara was batting on 44 for his highest score of the series and nightwatchman Rangana Herath was on two. Tharanga Piranavitana (10), debutant Lahiru Thirimanne (38) and Mahela Jayawardene (6) were the men out.

England declared half an hour before tea with Bell scoring an unbeaten 119 . He passed 50 for the fifth consecutive occasion in a Test Alastair Cook had equalled the English record with his sixth half century in a row on Saturday.

Sri Lanka need to win to draw the series, though England seem more likely to seal a fifth straight series win if the weather is kind to them on Monday.

Score Board

SRI LANKA (I Innings): 184 all out   
ENGLAND (I Innings, O/n: 195/4):
Strauss c P’vitana b W’gedara    3   
Cook c S’weera b Fernando    55   
Trott c P J’dene b Lakma    l4   
Pietersen c P J’dene b Perera    85   
Bell (not out)    119   
Anderson c P J’dene b W’gedara    27   
Morgan c P J’dene b Lakmal    71   
Prior c M J’dene b Perera    0   
Broad c sub b Lakmal..............................0              
Extras (LB-2, W-3, NB-8)    13   
Total (for 8 wkts decl, 92.4 overs)    377  
Fall of wickets: 1-4, 2-14, 3-120, 4-191, 5-236, 6-373, 7-374, 8-377.
Bowling: Welegedara 24-3-90-2, Lakmal 24.2-2-99-3, Fernando 10.2-0-47-1, Perera 24-3-101-2, Herath 9-0-33-0, M Jayawardene 1-0-5-0.
SRI LANKA (II Innings): 
P’navitana c Swann b Anderson    10   
Thirimanne c Strauss b Tremlett     38   
Sangakkara (batting)    44   
Jayawardene c Prior b Broad    6   
Herath (batting)    2   
Extras (B-8, LB-2, W-1, NB-1)    12   
Total (for 3 wkts, 49 overs)    112  
Fall of wickets: 1-25, 2-86, 3-110.     
Bowling: Anderson 12-5-22-1, Tremlett 13-4-34-1, Broad 11-4-22-1, Pietersen 3-1-8-0.