By Rob Barnett
Liam Plunkett continued his fine game by taking Sri Lanka’s first two second-innings wickets as the tourists moved towards a lead.
Plunkett, whose maiden Test five-for came in the first innings, had Kaushal Silva and Dimuth Karunarate caught behind, the former conventionally and the latter down leg, to make Sri Lanka 93 for two. Shortly after tea they moved ahead.
Karunaratne and Kumar Sangakkara had shared a fifty partnership as Angelo Mathews’ side continued their fightback.
The tourists today quickly claimed England’s last four wickets to limit the hosts’ first-innings lead to 108.
Mathews and Shaminda Eranga exploited favourable seam-bowling conditions to double their overnight tallies with four scalps each.
Match Scorecard / Live ball-by-ball commentary
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Evening Session
Sri Lanka 2nd Innings
4.54pm – James Anderson takes over from Jordan and is crisply straight-driven down the ground by Sangakkara.
4.48pm – Sangakkara moves on to 40. He is close to becoming the fourth player to make seven straight scores of 50 or more in Tests.
4.40pm – Stuart Broad has replaced Plunkett. Either side of Jordan’s runless over to Jayawardene, Broad shows a few signs of slightly variable bounce.
4.25pm – Jordan, whose previous over was a maiden to Mahela Jayawardene, is cut by the number four over the slips and to the boundary.
Kumar Sangakkara has moved above Jacques Kallis in the most runs in international cricket: http://t.co/A2iLS0ZVIIpic.twitter.com/7fjICk73ed
— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) June 22, 2014
4.13pm – Kumar Sangakkara punches Plunkett through extra-cover for four, putting Sri Lanka two runs ahead. Any more runs they score now, England will have to knock off to win the series.
4.03pm – In-form Liam Plunkett continues after tea on his home ground. He is partnered by Chris Jordan.
Afternoon Session
Matt Prior this afternoon went clear of Alec Stewart as the @ECB_cricket wicket-keeper with second most Test dismissals, behind Alan Knott
— Investec Cricket (@InvestecCricket) June 22, 2014
3.43pm – TEA!Sri Lanka 99/2; Sangakkara 26, Jayawardene 3 – Moeen bowls just one over for now as Jordan joins Plunkett in keeping it tight until the interval. Just before the break, Prior dives to his left and is painfully struck on the left glove. He continues and Sri Lanka trail by nine.
WICKET: Hotspot shows Karunaratne gloves to Prior off the bowling of @Liam628. 93-2. http://t.co/A2iLS0ZVII#EngvSLpic.twitter.com/vcdpbN9cHo
— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) June 22, 2014
3.26pm – REVIEW & WICKET! Karunaratne c Prior b Plunkett 45; SL 93/2 - After an over of spin from Moeen Ali, Plunkett returns and digs one in at the left-hander with the ball going through to Prior down leg. The batsman is given out but reviews, although replays and Hot Spot show the ball brushed the bottom glove.
3.13pm – Broad and Plunkett continue to keep it fairly tight, the former sending down a maiden to Sangakkara. Soon after, the second-wicket pair share a fifty partnership. The tourists are now 17 behind.
Kumar Sangakkara now has 300 runs in the series. The first Sri Lankan to do so in England. #EngvSLpic.twitter.com/YNMtL11dyv
— BBC TMS (@bbctms) June 22, 2014
2.53pm – Following a tight Jordan over to Karunaratne, seven runs come from the last two balls off Broad as the opener gets three through midwicket and Sangakkara sweetly off-drives for four. Sri Lanka now trail by 49.
2.40pm – Stuart Broad takes over from Plunkett and starts with a runless over to Sangakkara.
@ECB_cricket’s Liam Plunkett celebrates taking the wicket of Kaushal Silva. #EngvSL#InvestecTest. Photo: Visionhaus pic.twitter.com/ypjWSP6Ee5
— Investec Cricket (@InvestecCricket) June 22, 2014
2.29pm – Sangakkara, who is in brilliant form, negotiates a Plunkett maiden before unleashing another cover-drive off Plunkett that races to the rope. Karunaratne then thick-edges Jordan aerially between the slips and gully for four, the second time he has done that in this innings.
Matt Prior goes past @StewieCricket to number two on list of England Test dismissals. He has 242 just behind Alan Knott on 269 #bbccricket
— BBC TMS (@bbctms) June 22, 2014
2.18pm – WICKET! Silva c Prior b Plunkett 13; SL 40/1 - Silva, having edged Jordan just short of the cordon in the previous over, gets a regulation nick through to wicketkeeper Matt Prior. That’s the breakthrough England wanted. Sri Lanka trail by 68. Later in the over Plunkett concedes five off-side wides and is cover-driven for four by new man Kumar Sangakkara.
2.12pm – REVIEW! England ask to have another look at Plunkett’s lbw shout against Silva, but the full-toss was going comfortably down leg.
Nasser has spotted an increase in full deliveries from England's seamers after lunch: http://t.co/A2iLS0ZVII#EngvSLpic.twitter.com/chCzjiZQ7w
— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) June 22, 2014
2.09pm – Anderson and Jordan have been bowling a fuller length since lunch, but the ball has gone out of shape and has just been changed. Liam Punkett, replacing Anderson, gets the first go with this new-but-used ball. He immediately discomforts Silva with an excellently-directed bouncer.
1.56pm – Jordan follows Anderson’s maiden to Karunaratne with a threatening over to Silva. The sun is shining brightly at Headingley and the heat is on the players.
1 - At all home venues @ECB_cricket have lost just once (v Aus in 1961 at OT) when having a 100+ lead when batting 2nd (W51, D14). Rarity.
— OptaJim (@OptaJim) June 22, 2014
1.41pm – James Anderson, now in his seventh over, continues after lunch and Dimuth Karunaratne cuts him safely over point for four. Chris Jordan partners Anderson, conceding four to Kaushal Silva who feathers a ball to fine-leg.
Zebbie! @InvestecCricket#InvestecTestpic.twitter.com/CxRcSXKVDT
— Kevin Fisher (@KevFish37) June 22, 2014
10 - @ECB_cricket have won all 10 previous Tests at Headingley having had a 100+ run lead when batting 2nd. Advantage.
— OptaJim (@OptaJim) June 22, 2014
Morning Session
1pm – LUNCH! Sri Lanka 22/0; Karunaratne 16, Silva 6 – Jordan replaces Broad for the over before the interval, a maiden, at which point the tourists trail by 86.
12.51pm – Broad bowls his second maiden, to Karunaratne. The score is 19 for none from 10 overs.
Nasser is urging @StuartBroad8 to bowl a fuller length at Headingley. http://t.co/A2iLS0ZVII#EngvSLpic.twitter.com/7XUcDrMqdj
— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) June 22, 2014
12.43pm – Anderson and Broad are keeping the pressure on Sri Lanka’s openers, who have reduced England’s lead to double figures.
12.30pm – Anderson follows Broad’s cheap over with a maiden, beating Silva’s outside edge in the process. Karunaratne then edges between the slip cordon and gully for four.
DROPPED! Jordan puts down a simple catch after Karunaratne edged a ball from @jimmy9. http://t.co/A2iLS0ZVII#EngvSLpic.twitter.com/zKy5wdSTVY
— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) June 22, 2014
12.22pm – CHANCE! Karunaratne, who got going with a four behind point earlier in the over, nicks Anderson to second slip where Chris Jordan cannot hold a regulation chest-high opportunity.
12.13pm – James Anderson opens up with a maiden to left-hander Dimuth Karunaratne. Broad does likewise to the right-handed Kaushal Silva.
England 1st Innings
12pm – ENGLAND 365 ALL OUT!! WICKET! Anderson c & b Eranga 0 - Prior smites Eranga for six in the same direction and gets lucky when he top-edges the same bowler but the ball lands between two fielders. From the last delivery of the over Anderson falls to a brutal bouncer, leaving Prior unbeaten on 27. Eranga took 4-93 and Mathews 4-44. The hosts lead by 108.
11.53am – Prior, batting with last man James Anderson, looks to attack and clumps Mathews through mid-on for four.
Liam Plunkett of England loses his middle stump as he is bowled by Angelo Mathews. #InvestecTest Photo: Visionhaus pic.twitter.com/J99HBt7zSD
— Investec Cricket (@InvestecCricket) June 22, 2014
11.44am – WICKET! Plunkett b Mathews 2; Eng 350/9 - Mathews produces a beauty that comes back off the seam and flattens middle stump. Liam Plunkett is comprehensively beaten, the Sri Lanka captain has a fourth breakthrough and England are nine down while 93 ahead.
Plenty of wickets for seamers bowling a full length, 'typical Headingley' says Nas. http://t.co/A2iLS0ZVII#EngvSLpic.twitter.com/6JwgWU9vx1
— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) June 22, 2014
11.31am – WICKET! Broad c Thirimanne b Mathews 4; Eng 344/8 - Stuart Broad, who slashed Ernaga for four to get off the mark, is caught at gully as Sri Lanka continue their fightback. Mathews and Eranga each have three scalps.
11.24am – WICKET! Jordan c Jaywardene b Eranga 17; Eng 338/7 - Eranga has his man this time as Jordan gets a slightly thicker edge that Mahela Jayawardene clasps, diving to his left in front of Sangakkara. England lead by 81 on first innings.
11.15am – CHANCE! After Matt Prior plays out a maiden to Mathews, Jordan edges an Eranga away-swinger between wicketkeeper Dinesh Chandimal and first slip Kumar Sangakkara, who leave the ball for each other and it goes for four. That’s a second life for Jordan, who was dropped yesterday at extra-cover off Dhammika Prasad, this time on 12.
Matt Prior’s Test average of 50.4 at Headingley is his highest at any home venue.
— Investec Cricket (@InvestecCricket) June 22, 2014
11am – Facing Angelo Mathews, Chris Jordan cuts the day’s first ball for four. He takes a single from the last delivery to keep the strike and picks up two from Shaminda Eranga’s opening over.
Pre-Play News
.@MattPrior13& Chris Jordan resume this morning with England 320-6. A lead of 63 runs #EngvSLpic.twitter.com/s9q4ZMJ4wB
— England Cricket (@ECB_cricket) June 22, 2014
10.50am – We spoke to Robson after his maiden Test ton. Find out what he said here.
As usual it's a bloody lovely day in Yorkshire...
— Michael Vaughan (@MichaelVaughan) June 22, 2014
10.40am – The game, which will decide this short series, is much more closely poised that it appeared it would be an hour before stumps yesterday. Having dismissed Sam Robson for 127 with the second new ball, the tourists took three wickets for two runs in less than four overs to come back into contention. They even had chances to dismiss overnight batsmen Matt Prior and Chris Jordan, but shelled both. Read about that and the rest of day two here.
10.30am – Good morning and welcome to our live blog on day three of the last Investec Test between England and Sri Lanka. The hosts are set to resume on 320 for six, holding a first-innings lead of 63.
England get stuck into warm ups ahead of play #EngvSLpic.twitter.com/lv5cLXadTE
— England Cricket (@ECB_cricket) June 22, 2014