Skipper Joe Root stood firm with an unbeaten 99 as England pushed for a big lead against Sri Lanka on a rain-hit day two of the first Test on Friday.
England reached 206 for three at lunch in response to Sri Lanka's 135, stretching their first innings lead to 71 in the first of the two-match series in Galle. They started the day on 127 for two.
Root, starting the day on 66, was batting alongside debutant Dan Lawrence, on 40, after losing overnight partner Jonny Bairstow who did not add to his score of 47 after a delayed start due to rain.
Bairstow became left-arm spinner Lasith Embuldeniya's third victim of the innings in the second over of the day after being caught at gully. The wicket ended a 114-run third-wicket stand for the tourists.
Root, who scored his 50th fifty in 98 Tests on Thursday, kept up the charge and put on an unbroken partnership of 75 with Lawrence who showed confidence against the home spinners in his first international game.
The 23-year-old Lawrence smashed five fours and the innings' only six off, Embuldeniya, before star batsman Root went past 12,000 first-class runs.
Off-spinner Dom Bess returned career-best figures of 5-30 and helped skittle out Sri Lanka in two sessions on Thursday after the hosts elected to bat first.
The series, which has resumed after being aborted due to the coronavirus in March, is being played behind closed doors.
Published 15 January 2021, 08:46 IST