Sangakkara earns place in Lord's history

By Matt Somerford

Kumar Sangakkara hit his first Lord's Test century before England struck back late on the third day of the first Investec Test.

Sangakkara ensured his name would go on the Lord's Honours Board for the first time when he drove Joe Root through cover for four during the afternoon session.

He celebrated with his old-time friend Mahela Jayawardene, who he combined with in a 126-run stand, as Sri Lanka confidently went beyond the 376 follow-on mark with only four wickets lost.

But when Sangakkara finally fell soon after that for 147, edging behind to give Moeen Ali his first Test wicket, England hit back to leave the tourists 415 for seven at the close.

That represented a lead of 160 runs for England and, despite a grafting day on a placid Lord's wicket, they were able to walk off at the close with belief they can confirm a significant first-innings advantage.

Alastair Cook's side were made to sweat for their wickets for the majority as Sangakkara reigned supreme on his way to 147 and a place in Lord's history that he had so clearly craved.

That was evident as soon as he caressed Root's part-time spin away for one of his 16 boundaries before immediately turning to his team-mates in the Pavilion and celebrating with arms aloft.

Jayawardene ran down the wicket to apply a flying hug to the moment, which will sit high as one of the proudest in the 36-year-old Sangakkara's much-decorated career.

Sangakkara batted through the opening two sessions today, during which time England managed only three wickets.

James Anderson removed Kaushal Silva with a well-aimed bouncer in the morning session, when the opener fatally left his bat in the air and edged behind for Prior to hold.

England had to wait for the second new ball to make further ground.

Stuart Broad needed only four deliveries with it before he trapped Mahela Jayawardene lbw for 55, with the batsman's review confirming he was plumb in front.

Anderson then picked up Lahiru Thirimanne when he flicked to Sam Robson at square leg.
Sangakkara and skipper Angelo Mathews, who finished unbeaten on 79, then embarked on a quickfire 96-run stand before Moeen found some grip in the surface to finally fool the left-hander.

Some aggressive bowling from Liam Plunkett and Chris Jordan then did for Prasanna Jayawardene and Nuwan Kulasekara as Sri Lanka lost three for 28 at one stage.

Ian Bell's catch at leg slip off Plunkett, to send Prasanna Jayawardene on his way, was a feature as England ended a difficult day content with their work.

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Evening Session

6.30pm - STUMPS! SL 415/7; Mathews 79, Herath 0 - England hit back with three wickets for 28 runs at one point in that final session. It was a good return after a tough day for the bowlers on a fairly flat Lord's wicket. They will recharge overnight and try and knock over the Sri Lanka tail in the morning.

6.21pm - WICKET! Kulasekara c Prior b Jordan 9; 413/7 - Jordan got a wicket in his first over from the Pavilion End yesterday and in his first over from the Nursery End he has done it again. It is a peach of a delivery too as he gets the ball to leave Kulasekara down the slope and Prior collects his fourth catch.

6.13pm - CHANCE! - Anderson drops a difficult diving chance after running back from square leg. Kulasekara is ruffled by another Plunkett short ball and he shanks it up in the air and offers an opportunity that Anderson can't quite hold.

.@ECB_cricket's Ian Bell catches Prasanna Jayawardene off the bowling of Liam Plunkett. Photo: Visionhaus pic.twitter.com/L3qpibyYpT

— Investec Cricket (@InvestecCricket) June 14, 2014

6.06pm - Plunkett is working over new man Nuwan Kulasekara with the short ball. The tailender finally has enough of that and slogs him away for four to get off the mark. Plunkett is building up a head of steam, though, and at his pace he could be the man to knock over the tail in the way that Mitchell Johnson and Dale Steyn do.

5.52pm - WICKET! P Jayawardene c Bell b Plunkett 6; SL 400/6 - Super reaction catch by Ian Bell at leg slip. When Jayawardene flicked Plunkett off his pads he could not have expcted to turn around and see the ball in Bell's hands. England are now into the Sri Lanka tail.

5.51pm - Mathews has plenty of time to pull in front of square off Broad for two and Sri Lanka reach 400.

5.45pm - Plunkett bowling with some good pace as he gets the speed gun up to 90mph. Prasanna Jayawardene cops one on the arm as he aborts a pull shot and the ball flies over Prior for four. It's given as runs by Paul Reiffel - it may have brushed the glove on the way through.

5.32pm - Sangakkara's Test record in 2014 is pretty handy. He has 796 runs at an average of 99.50. Bradmanesque.

5.26pm - WICKET! Sangakkara c Prior b Moeen 147; SL 385/5 - Moeen's first Test wicket is a big one as he gets Sangakkara out feathering an edge behind as he attempted to cut. There was a bit of turn there for the spinner.

5.16pm - Sri Lanka go past the follow-on with the aid of an overthrow. Two more for Sangakkara who goes for a drink on 146.

5.13pm - Another super Sangakkara cover drive races away for four off Liam Plunkett. He is 144 and Sri Lanka need two runs to go past the follow-on.

5.05pm - FIFTY! Mathews (64b 6x4 0x6) - Mathews tickles Jordan away to the fine-leg rope to reach his half-century. That was an expensive over from Jordan costing 12 runs after Sangakkara began it with a pulled four.

4.57pm - Jordan digs in a short ball and for once Sangakkara is made to look uncomfortable. He is unbalanced and on one leg when he tries to fend away the ball, which hits his glove and loops to safety on the leg side.

Moeen Ali is then handed the ball at the other end and he turns one up the slope. That could become a factor as this game wears on.

4.54pm - The sun is shining brightly again. Sangakkara and Mathews are doing as they please and the follow-on target, of 376, has almost been reeled in. 

4.42pm - Shot of the day? Liam Plunkett gives Sangakkara some width and he effortlessly sends the ball hurtling away to the rope in front of point. There was a sweeper out there, but he was no chance of making the 20 yards he needed to his left to cut it off.

4.35pm - The light could become a factor at some stage. Two of the light towers do not appear to be working at full capacity at the moment - which could be attributed to the power cut we had at the ground after lunch. The umpires have just had a quick chat, but we are continuing on at the moment. As we should, the light is fine at present.

4.21pm - Mathews is looking to be aggressive in the evening session. He pulls Anderson away for a boundary and then drives for three more. The skipper has 30 from 33 balls.

4.17pm - Jordan is left shaking his head as he sees a good-length delivery cracked away through point by Kumar Sangakkara off the back foot. He is in some touch. 

4.06pm - Chris Jordan's first ball after tea is powered away to the mid-off rope by Angelo Mathews, who takes nine from the over.

Weather update: Atmospheric broken cloud cover as we head into the final session of day 3 #EngvSL#LoveLordspic.twitter.com/tkZnQwu5PN

— Lord's Ground (@HomeOfCricket) June 14, 2014

Afternoon Session

3.41pm - TEA! SL 309/4; Sangakkara 121, Mathews 14 - England claimed a pair of wickets in that session, but the key moment was Sangakkara reaching his first Lord's Test century. 

3.35pm - Sri Lanka skipper Angelo Mathews gets his first boundary as he punches Jordan back through mid-on for four. Jordan goes off at the end of the over after he tries to stop another drive and it has drawn blood from a finger.

3.26pm - That was the final ball of Anderson's spell as Jordan is given his chance from the Pavilion End - he has bowled exclusively from there in this match. The Sussex man's first over is a maiden. 

There's the fourth wicket! Thirimanne plays a lazy shot, resulting in a simple catch for Sam Robson. #SkyCricketpic.twitter.com/KTqJe7xQoE

— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) June 14, 2014

3.16pm - WICKET! Thirimanne c Robson b Anderson 2; SL 289/4 - Anderson fires a ball in at the pads and Lahiru Thirimanne flicks it straight to Sam Robson just in front of square leg. Jordan had been warming up during that over, but perhaps Jimmy will be given another now. This is a key period.

3.11pm - Broad putting a good shift in here with the new ball. He bends his back and finds some extra bounce that catches Sangakkara on the glove. England are probing, but the Sri Lankans are doing well and letting as many balls go as they can.

3.03pm - Broad cuts one back down the slope that hits Sangakkara on the leg, but the appeals are muted as the ball was always going over. It proved Sangakkara can be worried with this new ball but, as if to prove a point, he ends the over by punching a cover drive to the rope.

1 - Mahela Jayawardene has been dismissed LBW in three consecutive innings for the first time in his Test career of 241 knocks. Plumb.

— OptaJim (@OptaJim) June 14, 2014

2.49pm - WICKET! Jayawardene lbw Broad 55; SL 277/3 - Broad needs just four balls with the new ball to strike. Jayawardene sent Billy Bowden's decision to give him out upstairs, but the replays confirmed what everyone suspected. He was plumb. 

2.41pm - James Anderson gets first use of the new ball, but the over costs five runs as Jayawardene intelligently guides him away a few times. Drinks are now being taken when Alastair Cook and his team can talk over what they want to do with this new cherry. Sri Lanka are 276 for two.

2.30pm - FIFTY! Jayawardene (90b 7x4 0x6) - Jayawardene ticks over to his half-century as Sri Lanka press on to 270 for two. The new ball is just an over away now.

2.24pm - CENTURY! Sangakkara (182b 10x4 0x6) - And there it is. Sangakkara drives Joe Root to the cover rope in textbook style. He turns to his team-mates in the Pavilion and holds both arms aloft. His name is going on the Lord's Honours Board.Jayawardene races down the wicket and gives him a flying hug. A proud moment for a great player.

2.23pm - Sangakkara drives Plunkett for a straight boundary before tucking him away for two more to move to 99. He's on the brink of that Honours Board.

3 - Sangakkara & Jayawardene now have the 3rd highest aggregate Test partnership (6091), after Tendulkar & Dravid & Greenidge & Haynes. Duo.

— OptaJim (@OptaJim) June 14, 2014

2.12pm - Terrific over from Liam Plunkett as he worries Jayawardene with the short ball. The Sri Lankan got an under-edge to a pull that fell short of Matt Prior before he was hit on the elbow and the watched the ball drop near his stumps. Excellent stuff ahead of the new ball in five overs.

Sri Lanka move past 250 as Sangakkara & Jayawardene reach their hundred partnership. #SkyCricket#EngvSLpic.twitter.com/mNb6cEmPKP

— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) June 14, 2014

2.09pm - CENTURY PARTNERSHIP! - Jayawardene guides Moeen away for a couple to bring up the hundred stand between these two great players from 153 deliveries.

2.07pm - Sangakkara drives splendidly through cover. A diving Stuart Broad gets a hand on it to slow the ball, but the stroke is still worth three. Next over he gets down the track to Mooen and launches him for four.

2.03pm - Jayawardene carves Moeen away through point for four. These two are picking off the runs at will after lunch. Their stand is worth 89 runs.

Jayawardene just returns to his crease in time to avoid a Prior stumping. Sri Lanka now 221-2 #SkyCricket#EngvSLpic.twitter.com/ckbcoZJ1oq

— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) June 14, 2014

1.52pm - REVIEW! - Umpire Paul Reiffel wants a look at a stumping. Mahela Jayawardene presses forward at Moeen, but his back foot slid back into the crease before Matt Prior flicked off the bails.

1.44pm - We are back underway with Moeen Ali bowling the first over after lunch from the Nursery End. Four runs come from it.

Morning Session

1.01pm - LUNCH! SL 212/2; Sangakkara 73, M Jayawardene 29 - England claim just one wicket in the morning session with Anderson removing Silva. The overcast conditions provided some assistance, and England tried a number of options, but Sangakkara and Jayawardene are tough men to remove on any wicket.

12.57pm - Plunkett back on for the last over before lunch. One last burst before he gets a feed.

12.47pm - Sangakkara has passed his previous best Test score at Lord's, which was 65. He does, of course, already have a century at this ground earlier this summer, but that was in the Royal London One-Day International Series. 

12.42pm - Jordan back into the attack - so the Plunkett tactic has been shelved for now - and he is greeted by Sangakkara with a perfectly-time pull for four.

Jayawardene then heaves Moeen for another boundary as Sri Lanka go past 200 while this stand is now worth 50 runs.

12.32pm - Plunkett is bowling around the wicket to Sangakkara with one of those fields Mitchell Johnson bowled to in the winter. There's a leg slip and a short leg readying themselves for anything on offer as Plunkett tries to spear the ball in at the left-hander's body. So far, Sangakkara has managed the situation well, but England have him thinking.

12.28pm - Moeen's first over costs him seven runs. Jayawardene hit him over mid-on for a boundary, but it was a slightly loose stroke and for a second Anderson thought he might be able to get under it.

12.26pm - England turn to the spin of Moeen Ali from the Pavilion End. Will we see his Saeed Ajmal-inspired doosra today?

NEWS: @philtufnell to ring the bell on day four of #EngvSLhttp://t.co/RJYYYmAuAo

— Lord's Ground (@HomeOfCricket) June 14, 2014

12.17pm - Chris Jordan almost grabs a wicket in his first over again. He beats Jayawardene's edge as he flashes a drive. The veteran looked puzzled after missing it. It is getting gloomy again and the rain has returned.

12.02pm - Jayawardene helps a Plunkett short ball high over the slips for four. Plunkett's first two overs have cost 12 runs. Sri Lanka are 170 for two.

11.52am - FIFTY! Sangakkara (102b 6x4 0x6) - Sangakkara is halfway to getting his name on the Lord's Honours Board for the first time. After squirting Liam Plunkett's first delivery away for four he picks up three through straightish cover to reach his half-century.

11.47am - Anderson is probing away at Mahela Jayawardene who almost plays the ball back onto his stumps after defending on the back foot. The veteran gets off the mark next ball as he plays with soft hands to guide away a boundary to third man.

Delight for Anderson & England as Silva is caught behind by Prior. Sri Lanka 151-2 with Jayawardene the new man in. pic.twitter.com/TvNwwrkt1n

— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) June 14, 2014

11.35am - WICKET! Silva c Prior b Anderson 63; SL 151/2 - Anderson strikes with a well-aimed bouncer. Silva is surprised by it and fatally leaves his bat in the air. The ball hits the back of the bat and Matt Prior holds on. England rewarded for tight lines and then that surprise ball. 

11.30am - We are 30 minutes into the day and England are bowling tight. Just nine runs so far - and six of those came in the first over. There has been just one run in the past five overs. Sri Lanka are perhaps being extra vigilant in these conditions.

11.21am - Anderson shifts his field about as he tries to entice the drive and it immediately works. Silva gets a healthy edge yet the ball still fell short of Alastair Cook at first slip. The conditions are brightening up too so there should be no reason to go off.

11.11am - There is a bit of rain in the air. Umpires Paul Reiffel and Billy Bowden have a quick chat but they are happy to continue on.

11.04am - Kumar Sangakkara immediately into the groove as he carves James Anderson through point for a boundary. The opening over cost six runs.

Pre-Play News

10.57am - Moments away from a start and it is a little gloomy. So much so that the lights are on.

The Lord's pitch is all set for day 3 of #EngvSL@InvestecCricket Test match #LoveLordspic.twitter.com/nN5a3X9EqW

— Lord's Ground (@HomeOfCricket) June 14, 2014

10.50am - Kaushal Silva will resume on 62 this morning following his plucky display after almost five sessions in the field yesterday. Alongside him is Kumar Sangakkara, who already has 681 Test runs this year at an average of 97.28.

David Saker: "It is a flat wicket but we've taken wickets on flat pitches before."#EngvSL Play resumes on SS2 at 11 pic.twitter.com/deufpn4RHz

— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) June 14, 2014

10.35am - News of Root's career-best innings has made it's way around the world. Amateur golfer Matt Fitzpatrick made the cut at the US Open last night and afterwards admitted he had been in contact with his fellow Sheffielder about his landmark score.

"I found out this morning that he had done it - completed the double-century and that was obviously very impressive,"Fitzpatrick said after he was the only one of 12 amateurs to reach the weekend action.

"And I've actually just got his number from one of his best mates who is with me this week, so I sent him a well done and I've just got a text back from him as I've come in to say congratulations on making the cut so that's nice."

Day 3 at @HomeOfCricket just over half an hour away. Who’s going to strike first for England? #EngvSLpic.twitter.com/cpnj2obyaV

— England Cricket (@ECB_cricket) June 14, 2014