Sri Lanka untroubled by England attack

Sri Lanka made a solid start in pursuit of England’s first innings total of 486 at Lord’s on Saturday when they reached 101 at tea on the second day of the second test without losing a wicket.

At the interval captain Tillakaratne Dilshan was on 54 while Tharanga Paranavitana had scored 32. Paranavitana was given a life on 13 when Alastair Cook grassed a simple chance at third slip off Steven Finn.

Otherwise the Sri Lankan batsmen were untroubled on a pitch looking full of runs in the hot, afternoon sun.

Dilshan needed only 58 balls to score his 18th test match half-century and also struck Ian Bell a painful blow in the ribs at short-leg with a full-blooded sweep off Graeme Swann.

In the morning session, England wicketkeeper Matt Prior, 73 not out overnight, completed his fifth test century after he was dropped on 94 at second slip by Sri Lanka’s best slip fielder Mahela Jaywardene.

Another boundary flew at a catchable height between first slip and wicketkeeper before he eventually brought up his hundred from 107 balls with 17 boundaries.

Prior was finally out bowled off stump by left-arm spinner Rangana Herath for 126 playing a mighty swipe across the line.

He added 108 for the seventh wicket with Stuart Broad, who smacked six boundaries in the opening session to reach 54 before falling lbw to left-arm pace bowler Chanaka Welegedara.

Welegedara picked up a fourth wicket when Swann (4) edged a routine catch to Paranavitana at first slip.

Chris Tremlett scored a useful 24 not out while number 11 Finn made his highest test score of 19 to add to Sri Lanka’s frustration before he was bowled by Herath five minutes before the scheduled lunch interval.

England won the first test in Cardiff last Monday by an innings and 14 runs.