Sri Lanka is in deep trouble despite Lahiru Thirimanne providing a valiant century after 8 years as they only have 34 more runs to defend.
Read More : Sri Lanka fight back after Root’s double
Sri Lanka got off to a faulty start at the very beginning of the Test and of course, there was Joe Root who swept the game far away from the host with a classy double-ton.
Despite this setback, Sri Lanka managed to bring themselves back into the game to a position where they even looked like they could go on to win this Test at a stage.
They came into day four with 156 runs on board, 8 wickets in hand and their opener, Thirimanne, on 76 runs – His highest score since his last hundred in 2013. The night-watchman, Lasith Embuldeniya, was dismissed in just the second over of the day and that brought the senior-most campaigner of the team, Angelo Mathews, to the crease.
During the first session of the day, Thirimanne brought up his much-awaited hundred to voice his presence back in Test cricket. This was the longest wait by a Sri Lankan batsman between centuries and this being his second is noteworthy. 
The English found their opening sooner than expected in the first session by dismissing the centurion off a magnificent delivery from Sam Curran which jagged back in ever-so-slightly from the back of length and centimetres out of the off-stump. Thirimanne played for the outswinger which he had previously set up for and got an inside edge which flew to the keeper. He walked back with a well-earned 111 runs.
Video – ‘Wanindu & Dilruwan haven’t been able to consistently put it in right areas’ – David Saker
Mathews picked up the baton from Thirimanne and was emanating his experience with a calm-headed knock which extended till the last hour or so in the day. The right-hander saw off 219 balls in which he scored 71 runs to give Sri Lanka something, absolutely something for the bowlers to work with.
Had the stand-in captain, Dinesh Chandimal (20), Niroshan Dickwella (29), Dasun Shanaka (4) and Wanindu Hasaranga (12) added another 50 to 60 runs together for the Sri Lankan total, the host would have been downright dominating this game the 4th innings.
Dilruwan Perera tried his hand at salvation but he had to walk back with 24 runs after failing to hold his ground off Jack Leach.
Sri Lanka was wrapped for 359 runs in their second innings.
England had about an hour to see off in the day with a target of just 74 runs. But the young Embuldeniya made it look like a 150-run target with his rigorous turn and bounce and impeccable line and length. The left-arm spinner opened the bowling for Sri Lanka and dismissed both openers in no time.
Sent in a straightener to Dom Sibley which held its line all the way to the off-stump while Sibley offered no shot expecting it to turn. He tricked Zak Crawley flighted delivery for which he tried to drive through the offside only to find himself caught at slips.
The pressure was on the visitors and the pair at the centre, Joe Root and Jonny Bairstow struggling against the square-turners. The result was the skipper being pulled into a runout as Bairstow desperately tried to get off the strike. England was pulled down for 14 for 3 soon into their second innings.
It only kept getting tougher for the English batsman but they got away with half-chances and a lot of luck bringing the day to a close. They were at 38 for 3 at stumps, the morning half an hour of tomorrow is going to be extremely eventful one.
Result
| Batsmen | R | B | 4s | 6s | SR | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lahiru Thirimanne | c Jonathan Bairstow b Stuart Broad | 4 | 22 | 0 | 0 | 18.18 |
| Kusal Perera | c Joe Root b Dominic Bess | 20 | 28 | 2 | 0 | 71.43 |
| Kusal Mendis | c Jos Buttler b Stuart Broad | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Angelo Mathews | c Joe Root b Stuart Broad | 27 | 54 | 1 | 1 | 50.00 |
| Dinesh Chandimal | c Sam Curran b Jack Leach | 28 | 71 | 1 | 0 | 39.44 |
| Niroshan Dickwella | c Dominic Sibley b Dominic Bess | 12 | 21 | 1 | 0 | 57.14 |
| Dasun Shanaka | c Jos Buttler b Dominic Bess | 23 | 48 | 3 | 0 | 47.92 |
| Wanindu Hasaranga | b Dominic Bess | 19 | 22 | 2 | 0 | 86.36 |
| Dilruwan Perera | b Dominic Bess | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Lasith Embuldeniya | run out (Jack Leach) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Asitha Fernando | not out | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Extras | 2 (b 0 , lb 1 , nb 1, w 0, pen 0) |
| Total | 135/10 (46.1 Overs, RR: 2.92) |
| Fall of Wickets | 1-16 (6.3) Lahiru Thirimanne, 2-16 (6.5) Kusal Mendis, 3-25 (10.2) Kusal Perera, 4-81 (28.6) Angelo Mathews, 5-81 (29.2) Dinesh Chandimal, 6-105 (38.1) Niroshan Dickwella, 7-126 (42.5) Dasun Shanaka, 8-126 (42.5) Dilruwan Perera, 9-130 (43.5) Lasith Embuldeniya, 10-135 (46.1) Wanindu Hasaranga, |
| Bowling | O | M | R | W | Econ | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stuart Broad | 9 | 3 | 20 | 3 | 2.22 | |
| Sam Curran | 4 | 2 | 8 | 0 | 2.00 | |
| Mark Wood | 6 | 1 | 21 | 0 | 3.50 | |
| Dominic Bess | 10.1 | 3 | 30 | 5 | 2.97 | |
| Jack Leach | 17 | 2 | 55 | 1 | 3.24 | |
| Batsmen | R | B | 4s | 6s | SR | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zak Crawley | c Wanindu Hasaranga b Lasith Embuldeniya | 9 | 26 | 1 | 0 | 34.62 |
| Dominic Sibley | c Lahiru Thirimanne b Lasith Embuldeniya | 4 | 15 | 0 | 0 | 26.67 |
| Jonathan Bairstow | c Kusal Mendis b Lasith Embuldeniya | 47 | 93 | 2 | 0 | 50.54 |
| Joe Root | c Lasith Embuldeniya b Dilruwan Perera | 228 | 321 | 18 | 1 | 71.03 |
| Dan Lawrence | c Kusal Mendis b Dilruwan Perera | 73 | 150 | 6 | 1 | 48.67 |
| Jos Buttler | c Niroshan Dickwella b Asitha Fernando | 30 | 57 | 3 | 0 | 52.63 |
| Sam Curran | b Asitha Fernando | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Dominic Bess | run out (Minod Bhanuka) | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Jack Leach | lbw b Dilruwan Perera | 4 | 20 | 1 | 0 | 20.00 |
| Mark Wood | c Niroshan Dickwella b Dilruwan Perera | 2 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 22.22 |
| Stuart Broad | not out | 11 | 13 | 2 | 0 | 84.62 |
| Extras | 13 (b 7 , lb 0 , nb 6, w 0, pen 0) |
| Total | 421/10 (117.1 Overs, RR: 3.59) |
| Fall of Wickets | 1-10 (4.2) Dominic Sibley, 2-17 (8.4) Zak Crawley, 3-131 (42.2) Jonathan Bairstow, |
| Bowling | O | M | R | W | Econ | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lasith Embuldeniya | 45 | 4 | 176 | 3 | 3.91 | |
| Asitha Fernando | 14 | 1 | 44 | 2 | 3.14 | |
| Wanindu Hasaranga | 15 | 1 | 63 | 0 | 4.20 | |
| Dilruwan Perera | 36.1 | 2 | 109 | 4 | 3.02 | |
| Dasun Shanaka | 7 | 1 | 22 | 0 | 3.14 | |
| Batsmen | R | B | 4s | 6s | SR | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kusal Perera | c Jack Leach b Sam Curran | 62 | 109 | 5 | 1 | 56.88 |
| Lahiru Thirimanne | c Jos Buttler b Sam Curran | 111 | 251 | 12 | 0 | 44.22 |
| Kusal Mendis | c Jos Buttler b Jack Leach | 15 | 65 | 1 | 0 | 23.08 |
| Lasith Embuldeniya | c Dominic Sibley b Dominic Bess | 0 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Angelo Mathews | c & b Jack Leach | 71 | 219 | 4 | 0 | 32.42 |
| Dinesh Chandimal | c Joe Root b Dominic Bess | 20 | 28 | 3 | 0 | 71.43 |
| Niroshan Dickwella | c Jos Buttler b Dominic Bess | 29 | 74 | 1 | 0 | 39.19 |
| Dasun Shanaka | b Jack Leach | 4 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 80.00 |
| Wanindu Hasaranga | c Joe Root b Jack Leach | 12 | 18 | 2 | 0 | 66.67 |
| Dilruwan Perera | st Jos Buttler b Jack Leach | 24 | 38 | 5 | 0 | 63.16 |
| Asitha Fernando | not out | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Extras | 11 (b 7 , lb 1 , nb 3, w 0, pen 0) |
| Total | 359/10 (136.5 Overs, RR: 2.62) |
| Bowling | O | M | R | W | Econ | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stuart Broad | 17 | 11 | 14 | 0 | 0.82 | |
| Sam Curran | 11 | 1 | 37 | 2 | 3.36 | |
| Dominic Bess | 33 | 4 | 100 | 3 | 3.03 | |
| Mark Wood | 21 | 5 | 49 | 0 | 2.33 | |
| Jack Leach | 41.5 | 6 | 122 | 5 | 2.94 | |
| Joe Root | 11 | 1 | 19 | 0 | 1.73 | |
| Dan Lawrence | 2 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 5.00 | |
| Batsmen | R | B | 4s | 6s | SR | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zak Crawley | c Kusal Mendis b Lasith Embuldeniya | 8 | 21 | 1 | 0 | 38.10 |
| Dominic Sibley | b Lasith Embuldeniya | 2 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 40.00 |
| Jonathan Bairstow | not out | 35 | 62 | 2 | 0 | 56.45 |
| Joe Root | run out (Niroshan Dickwella) | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 33.33 |
| Dan Lawrence | not out | 21 | 52 | 0 | 0 | 40.38 |
| Extras | 9 (b 0 , lb 9 , nb 0, w 0, pen 0) |
| Total | 76/3 (24.2 Overs, RR: 3.12) |
| Bowling | O | M | R | W | Econ | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lasith Embuldeniya | 12 | 3 | 29 | 2 | 2.42 | |
| Dilruwan Perera | 11.2 | 2 | 34 | 0 | 3.04 | |
| Wanindu Hasaranga | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 4.00 | |
