Angelo Mathews keeps Sri Lanka in hunt for series-levelling win

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Angelo Mathews and Dimuth Karunaratne struck combative fifties to keep Sri Lanka in the hunt for victory after three early wickets from England left-arm spinner Jack Leach had rattled the hosts on the fourth day of the second test on Saturday.

Chasing 301 for a series-levelling win on a turning Pallekele track, Sri Lanka reached 219 for five at the tea break after Leach`s brilliant spell of spin bowling with the new ball had reduced them to 26-3.

Former captain Mathews was unbeaten on 87 with Niroshan Dickwella 23 not out at the break with the hosts needing another 82 runs for victory.

Karunaratne made a dogged 57 and it was his fourth-wicket stand of 77 with the experienced Mathews that revived Sri Lanka`s chase.

England wasted chances to dismiss  both batsmen with all-rounder Ben Stokes the guilty fielder and off-spinner Moeen Ali the unfortunate bowler on both occasions.

Karunaratne, who made 63 in the first innings, was on 21 when his edge off Moeen flew past Stokes at slip and the batsman also survived a leg before decision in the final over before the lunch interval.

He was given out lbw off leg-spinner Adil Rashid but overturned the decision on review with replays confirming the ball was missing leg stump.

Karunaratne was finally out to some brilliant fielding at short leg from Keaton Jennings, who anticipated a sweep shot from the batsman and moved smartly to his left to parry the ball to wicketkeeper Ben Foakes for a catch off Rashid.

Stokes missed a relatively easier chance when he dropped Mathews at slip with the batsman on seven. The right-hander made England pay dearly with another stand of 73 with Roshen Silva for the fifth wicket.

England missed a chance to dismiss Silva, who had topscored for the hosts with 85 in the first innings, on 32 when they did not review the umpire`s not-out verdict to a lbw shout off Moeen. Replays showed the decision would have been overturned in their favour.

Moeen sent Silva back on 37 with England captain Joe Root opting to successfully review another not out decision for a bat-pad catch.

England would have hoped for further breakthroughs before the final session but were thewarted by an attacking unbroken stand of 43 between Mathews and Dickwella.

Earlier, Leach had given England the ideal start when he lured Kaushal Silva out of his crease with a flighted delivery to be stumped for four.

Dhananjaya de Silva was out to a smart catch by Jennings at short leg for one while Kusal Mendis was also trapped lbw for the same score, with England overturning the umpire`s not out decision on review.

England batted for about 20 minutes in the morning before they were all out for 346 for a lead of 300. Foakes followed up his debut century during the win in Galle with an unbeaten 65.

Akila Dananjaya, who was reported for a suspect bowling action after the Galle test but is free to play, notched up career-best figures of 6-115 for the hosts.