Sri Lanka vs England: As it happened...

Zeenews Sports Bureau

Galle: Sri Lanka beat England by 75 runs on the fourth day of the first Test on Thursday. The hosts now lead the series 1-0 in the two-match series. Rangana Herath finished the innings with a figure of 38-9-97-6. That helped him make it 12 wickets in the match. Suraj Randiv claimed the remaining four of England's wickets, meaning the visitors' weakness against spin bowling exposed yet again. Highlights 99 overs: England's Last wicket went down!! Panesar was removed for a duck by Randiv. 97.5 overs: Another England wicket!! Swann gone this time!! With this wicket, tea was taken. At tea, England were 259 /8, still needing 81 to win. 95 overs: Big breakthrough for Sri Lanka. Trott departed!! Jonathan Trott’s fine innings of 112 finally came to an end when he was caught at leg slip off offie Suraj Randiv. With 84 runs still needed with just 3 wickets in hand, England were almost certain to lose the match. 93.5: Samit Patel threw his wicket away!! When the need of the hour was to hang in there, Patel decided to drive through the cover uppishly against Herath and was snapped up by fumbling Dilshan at short extra-cover. Another 5-wicket haul for Herath in this match. 89.3 overs: Trott took a single and England were 241/5. They were within the zone…They need less than 100 to win!! Trott was going steady on 107 while Samit Patel was on 3. 86 overs: Matt Prior out!! Herath came to the rescue of the home team again by breaking a threatening 81-run stand between him and Trott. 85.3 Century for Trott!! Very calm and composed century under tremendous pressure. His ton helped England reach a point from where they can sniff victory. This was his 7th century and his 2nd against England. If England win, this will definitely be his best hundred so far. 79 overs: 200 up for England!! Jonathan Trott was leading the England challenge with stumper Matt Prior. He is closing in on a very good hundred. England now need 140 to win the Test. 70 overs: It’s lunch time. England were 177/4. They still need 163 more runs to win. Trott was playing on 76 while Matt Prior remained unbeaten on 15. 58.1 overs: Ian Bell goes!! Rangana Herath removed Ian Bell for 13. England were 152/4. 44.4 over: 50 for Trot! Jonathan Trott reached his half-century. He played really well and kept England in the hunt. 42.5: Pietersen OUT!! Sri Lanka started the Day 4 proceedings well. Off-spinner Suraj Randiv picked up the prized wicket of Kevin Pietersen in just the 3rd over of the day. Pietersen made 30. 40th Over: The Day 4 of the Galle Test between England and Sri Lanka promises to be an exciting affair as England require another 229 runs to beat the formidable hosts while Sri Lanka need eight more English wickets in two days to take 1-0 lead in the three-Test rubber. Earlier on Day 3, Rangana Herath claimed two wickets to give Sri Lanka a good start in their victory pursuit as England reached 111 for 2 in chasing a tough 340 to win the first Test on Wednesday. The left-arm spinner who took six wickets in the first innings bagged openers Alastair Cook (14) and captain Andrew Strauss (27) soon after tea to leave the visitors 48 for 2. But Jonathan Trott (40 not out) and Kevin Pietersen (29 not out) shared an unbroken 63 and kept their team in the hunt. Herath finished with 2 for 52. England still need 229 runs to win with eight wickets in hand on a difficult pitch at Galle. Earlier, England offspinner Graeme Swann took six wickets to help dismiss Sri Lanka for 214 in their second innings.