Sri Lanka 415 for 7, trail by 160 runs:

Majestic 147 from Sanga

Half tons from Mahela, Angelo:

Elmo Rodrigopulle reporting from England

Sri Lanka, helped by a majestic knock of 147 by stylish left hander Kumar Sangakkara who held the innings together, made 415 for 7 wickets on the day three of the First Investec Test at Lord’s Cricket Ground here today.

England made 575 for 9 dec. At the wickets for Sri Lanka were Angelo Mathew unconquered on 79 and Rangana Herath on score. Pasanna Jayawardene went for 6 and Nuwan Kulesekera for 9.

Mahela Jayawardene 55 and Angelo Mathews 79 supported Sangakkara to get past the humility of the follow on mark 376. Sangakkara went trying to cut an innocuous delivery from part time spinner Mooen Ali. He faced 258 balls and hit 16 fours.

After lunch Sangakkara and Jayawardene continued to bat very watchfully and frustrate the England bowlers. Sangakkara was nearing his century and when on 99, played his signature cover drive for 4 off Joe Root to go to his century.

He stayed posed as he played the cover drive and when the ball was motoring to the boundary, Jayawardene ran up to Sangakkara and lifted him overjoyed by his good friend’s rare achievement.

Sangakkara waved his bat first to the dressing room and then acknowledged the cheers of the Lord’s crowd who stood up to him and gave him a thunderous ovation.

Sangakkara joined his countrymen who have centuries to their name in the home of cricket Lord’s - Sidat Wettimuny, Duleep Mendis, Marvan Atapattu, Mahela Jayawardene (2), Amal Silva and Tillakaratne Dilshan.

England took the new ball and captured the big wicket of Mahela Jayawardene when Anderson moved one in to get him LBW when he looked good or more runs. He made 55 and added 126 for the third wicket.

Jayawardene who has two centuries to his name at Lord’s, played a very watchful and subdued innings. He very rarely broke into his natural aggressive stroke play.

Lahiru Thirimanne after making 2 popped a catch to Sam Robson at mid wicket. Then captain Angelo Mathews joined Sangakkara to take Sri Lanka to tea at 309 for 4 with Sangakkara on 121 and Mathews on 9.

After losing opener Kaushal Silva for 63, Kumar Sangakkara 73 and Mahela Jayawardene 29 weathered the England pace and swing to take Sri Lanka to 212 for 2 at lunch on day three of the First Investec Test here at Lord’s, today. England made 575 for 9 declared.

Both senior batsmen, realizing their responsibilities cut out the frills usually associated with their batting and settled down to deprive the bowlers of wickets.

The first two day’s saw glorious weather in London with the sun shining brightly which was ideal for cricket. But the third day dawned gloomy and overcast, which required the lights to be switched on when play began.

With James Anderson and Stuart Broad who are renowned to swing the ball both ways in overcast conditions, batting was not going to be easy for the Sri Lankan batsmen.

The ball was wobbling around and Silva and Sangakkara found it difficult to get their strokes going, but did well to survive until Silva failed to keep a short ball from Anderson down and while ducking failed to take his bat out of harm’s way and popped to Prior for 63. It was a fighting knock by the little right hander who showed good concentration and guts standing up to the pace of the England bowlers with great courage. He excelled with drive on the off. He hit 10 fours and added 97 with Sangakkara for the second wicket.

The second day’s play was dominated by young Joseph Edward Root who wrote his name in the record books and joined the exalted company of double century makers at hallowed Lord’s.

Root became the fourth youngest England batsman to notch a double hundred. The others being Len Hutton, Bill Edrich and David Gower.

Root thus joined three former England greats.

The right hander is not an exciting batsman who could bring in the crowds. He is technically correct, picks the correct ball to hit and his discipline is admirable.

He has the ability to pick gaps in the field, and times his strokes to perfection. In his knock he hit only 16 fours. He has the ideal temperament for Test cricket.

He is a strong off side player. After the Root heroics, the Sri Lankan batsmen Kaushal Silva and Kumar Sangakkara after the dismissal of left hander Dimuth Karunaratne batted with great care and caution to take Sri Lanka to 140 without further loss at the close.

Karunaratne and Silva had a good opening stand of 54 before Karunaratne attempting to drive an away swinger from Chris Jordan did not get to the pitch of the ball and snicked to wicket keeper Matt Prior. It was debutant Jordan’s first Test wicket and did he not celebrate.

Lord’s Cricket Ground, Saturday.

SCOREBOARD
(England 1st innings 575/9 dec)

Sri Lanka 1st innings
Dimuth Karunaratne c Prior b Jordan		38
Kaushal Silva c Prior b Anderson		63
Kumar Sangakkara c Prior b Ali		       147
Mahela Jayawardene lbw b Broad			55
Lahiru Thirimanne c Robson b Anderson		02
Angelo Mathews not out				79
Prasanna Jayawardene c Bell b Plunkett		06
Nuwan Kulasekara c Prior b Jordan		09
Rangana Herath not out				00
Extras (b 7, lb 1, w 6, nb 2)			16
TOTAL (7 wickets; 124 overs)		       415

Fall of wickets: 1-54 (Karunaratne), 2-151 (Silva)
		 3-277 (M Jayawardene), 4-289 (Thirimanne)
		 5-385 (Sangakkara), 6-400 (P Jayawardene)
		 7-413 (Kulasekara)
Bowling: Anderson 24-6-73-2
	 Broad 24-7-60-1
	 Jordan 27-4-98-2
	 Plunkett 30-2-113-1
	 Ali 16-2-56-1
	 Root 3-1-7-0