SL-Eng: Jayawardene leads the rout

A Ground Record 262 third-wicket stand between Thilan Samaraweera and Mahela Jayawardene guided Sri Lanka to a 298-run lead at the close of the Third Day's play in the Third and decisive Test at the Sinhalese Sports Club, Colombo.

Resuming on 264/2, Jayawardene and Samaraweera continued at their fairly pedestrian pace as they resolved to see off the new ball. Jayawardene was dropped by Ashley Giles off Andrew Flintoff at square leg, and swept the unpenetrative Gareth Batty for four to bring up his tenth Test century.

Samaraweera was dropped by Marcus Trescothick at first slip for a third time, on 98, off Gareth Batty, and the off-spinner was driven to the cover boundary to bring up his third Test ton after six hours at the crease. The two brought the score up to a mighty 400 before Jayawardene (134) mistimed a hoik to substitute fielder Paul Collingwood at square leg to give Flintoff his second wicket of the day.

Shortly afterwards, Mark Butcher's injured finger - sustained mid-morning - was joined in the casualty room by Andrew Flintoff's groin. It was eventually a mix up that ended Samaraweera's vigil - Tillakaratne Dilshan called him for a quick single and then sent him back, with Chris Read's return to Gareth Batty leaving the obdurate all-rounder out of his ground for 142 runs, coming from 408 balls and 8 hours 11 minutes at the crease.

Ashley Giles bowled Hashan Tillakaratne for 12 when the Sri Lankan skipper tried to cut one that was too close to his body. With the score at 456/5 and Marvan Atapattu unlikely to bat, England finally had one hand on the wheel.

Dilshan (72*) soon wrenched it off again, and in partnership with Upul Chandana the two added 107 before close, with Chandana (54*) smiting a huge six over mid wicket.

The question tomorrow is one of when Sri Lanka will declare. With a 298-run lead, they ought to create a win in the Third Test, rather than the unsatisfying draws that the two previous matches have resulted in. Whether Tillakaratne's captaincy will be sufficiently positive to achieve that is a totally different scenario, however.

England 265
A Flintoff 77, ME Trescothick 70
M Muralitharan 3/40, WPUJC Vaas 3/64

Sri Lanka 563/5
TT Samaraweera 142, DPMD Jayawardene 134
A Flintoff 2/47

Sri Lanka lead by 298 runs

Posted by Neil