Half-centuries from Angelo Mathews and Kamindu Mendis helped Sri Lanka take lead at Old Trafford in the opening Test against England.
England resumed their first innings on Day 3 at 259/6 and they managed to add 99 runs to their overnight score with Jamie Smith notching up his maiden ton in Test cricket.
His 66-run stand with Gus Atkinson for the 7th wicket helped the hosts steer into a position of ascendancy with a valuable first innings lead of 122.
Asitha Fernando was Sri Lanka’s best bowler on show as he grabbed 4 wickets for 103 runs. The left-arm spinner Prabath Jayasuriya also bagged 3 wickets for 85 runs while Milan Rathnayake claimed his maiden Test wicket in the form of Atkinson.
Sri Lankan batters had to face three overs just before the Lunch break which England’s new ball bowlers capitalized to the full extent, claiming 2 wickets – Nishan Madushka and Kusal Mendis which allowed the hosts to gain complete control of the steering wheel.
The opening batter Dimuth Karunaratne and the experienced middle order batter Angelo Mathews steadied the innings, adding 51-run stand for the third wicket before Mark Wood dismissed the former for 27 runs.
Wood bowled a nasty delivery that smashed into Dinesh Chandimal’s thumb and the wicket-keeper batter had to walk off the field and went to the hospital for scans.
The skipper Dhananjaya de Silva was trapped in front by the seamer Matthew Potts for 11 runs at the stroke of Tea break.
In the final session, Angelo Mathews and Kamindu Mendis put up an inspired fight, getting involved in a 78-run stand which helped the visitors build a slender lead at the end of Day 3.
Mathews notched up his 42nd half-century in Tests while Mendis hit his 3rd Test half-century. Mendis was unbeaten on 56 while Chandimal was unbeaten on 20 having returned to bat from the hospital after Wood flattened his right thumb.
