Zeenews Sports Bureau
Colombo: 91 overs, StumpsSwann picked up two wickets of Samaraweera and Randiv in the 90th over which turned the tide England's side. Mahela Jayawardene once again led from the front as he remained unbeaten on 55 runs.
Sri Lanka ended the fourth day`s play at 218-6 in their second knock, a lead of 33 runs with only four wickets in hand on a wearing P Sara Oval pitch.
75.4 overs: Jayawardene hit fifty. His fifty came off 125 balls with 4 fours. Sri Lanka were 204/4.
Scorecard: ENG Vs SL »
74.4 overs: Jayawardene guided Sri Lanka to 185/4 to level England’s first innings score. From now on whatever runs Sri Lanka score, England have to make that in the fourth innings to win the match. If Sri Lanka set the target more than 200, it would be very difficult for England to chase it down.
62.5 overs: 150 up for Sri Lanka. They trailed by 35 runs with 6 wickets remaining. Jayawardene was on 31 while Samaraweera unbeaten on 13.
45.4 overs: Sangakkara out!!
It’s Swann again! He induced an edge from Sanga’s bat which was snapped up by Matt Prior behind the wickets. His 21 came off 86 balls with two fours. Sri Lanka were 125/4.
35.1 overs: Dilshan out!!
Off-spinner Swann grabbed his first wicket as he removed Dilshan for 35. Sri Lanka were 104/3.
33.3 overs: Dilshan took three runs off Samit Patel helping Sri Lanka cross 100 run-mark. Dilshan was batting on 33 while Sangakkara was on 17.
27 overs : At lunch on Day 4, Sri Lanka were 84/2, still trail by 101 runs with 8 wickets remaining.
18.2 overs : Dhamika Prasad out!!
Steve Finn finally got rid of Dhamika Prasad who hanged in there for 59 balls. His 34-run knock consisted of 5 fours. England were 64/2.
8.2 overs : Thirimanne out!!
James Anderson inflicted first blow on the Lankan camp. The ball took the outside edge of the Thirimanne’s bat and went straight to first slip where Strauss took a neat catch. Thirimanne made 11. England were 23/1.
England would like to end Sri Lankan second innings on Day 4 to press for an outright win to draw the series.
Sri Lanka, still trailing by 185 runs, have to bat out of their skins to take at least 150 lead to give themselves a chance to win the Test as well as the series.
They would resume the Day 4 at 4/0 on Friday.
Earlier on Day 3, Kevin Pietersen shrugged off a switch-hit controversy to smash an explosive 151 off 165 balls as England took charge of the second Test against Sri Lanka in Colombo on Thursday.
The flamboyant Pietersen plundered 16 boundaries and six sixes in his 20th Test century as the tourists piled up 460 in their first innings before being all out just before stumps on the third day.
Sri Lanka, trailing by 185 runs, were 4-0 from one over in their second knock at close with Lahiru Thirimanne and Dhammika Prasad at the crease.
England, who lost the first Test in Galle by 75 runs, have two days to force a series-levelling win on the wearing P. Sara Oval wicket and retain their number one ranking.
First Published: Friday, April 06, 2012, 09:46