By Rob Barnett
Moeen Ali scored his maiden Test fifty to boost England’s hopes of avoiding defeat in the Investec Series.
Moeen shared a 67-run stand with Joe Root, who was caught at gully off Nuwan Pradeep for 31, and went on to his milestone during an elongated afternoon session.
The left-hander held firm as Matt Prior fell to Dhammika Prasad, who therefore completed a five-wicket haul.
At tea England were 173 for seven, theoretically needing another 177 for victory as Sri Lanka chased a first Test series win in England.
Moeen and Root batted through the first 70 minutes on day five before rain meant a near-80-minute delay, during which lunch was taken but no overs were lost.
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Evening Session
4.59pm – REVIEW! Eranga appeals for caught behind against Moeen, on 71, down leg. It’s given not-out but Sri Lanka question the call. Replays and Hot-Spot show the ball brushed the left-hander’s leg rather than his bat.
4.51pm – Pradeep and Eranga continue to keep it tight while Moeen and Jordan continue to resist. There are 33 overs left today, although fading light could mean fewer. Moeen and Jordan each pick up a leg-side four.
4.39pm – NO-BALL & NO WICKET! Shaminda Eranga shares the new ball and, after conceding four byes, thinks he has Jordan held at slip. However, the umpire wants to see if it was a front-foot no-ball and, unlike for Matt Prior’s wicket, it is this time, so Jordan survives on 12.
4.31pm – Jayawardene sends down another over before the new ball is taken at the earliest opportunity. Dhammika Prasad gets first use and Moeen thick-edges him safely for four.
4.22pm – Angelo Mathews goes with a surprise choice of bowler to start the session as occasional spinner Mahela Jayawardene turns his arm over in a Test for the first time in three years. Moeen Ali cuts the last ball of his over to the rope. Sri Lanka’s main spinner Rangana Herath then delivers a maiden to Chris Jordan. A new ball is due in one over.
Afternoon Session
You can make up your own minds at home... pic.twitter.com/r3f54UHYoy
— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) June 24, 2014
4pm –TEA! England 173/7; Moeen 56, Jordan 9 – With fielders crowding the bat, Herath delivers the last over of an elongated session. There are 40 overs left. England theoretically need 177 more to win, but will realistically be batting for a draw.
3.52pm – Jordan sweeps Herath to the rope. Regarding Prior’s dismissal, match referee Andy Pycroft confirms that the bowler gets the benefit of doubt over a front-foot no-ball.
3.44pm – Herath beats new man Chris Jordan with a beauty during his 10th maiden. Don’t forget tea is due to be at 4pm because of the earlier rain delay.
3.38pm – WICKET! Prior c Silva b Prasad 10; SL 160/7 – Dhammika Prasad digs one in at Prior, who cannot help but steer the ball to short-leg where Kaushal Silva holds a sharp catch. The umpire asks to check for a front-foot no-ball. Replays show it’s touch and go, but TV umpire Paul Reiffel upholds the decision. Prasad have a five-for!
3.28pm – REVIEW! Herath appeals vociferously for lbw against Mooen, on 52, but has his appeal rejected. Sri Lanka ask for another look but the ball was sliding down leg. Had the batsman got an inside edge, he would have been out caught at leg-slip. At the end of a maiden, 46 more overs are due to be bowled today. England need 190 more runs.
@ECB_cricket’s Moeen Ali’s #InvestecTest half-century batting wagon wheel. https://t.co/hlFwl2EFrTpic.twitter.com/dPYpO8mAg8
— Investec Cricket (@InvestecCricket) June 24, 2014
3.13pm – Eranga and Herath are bowling in tandem again, each delivering a maiden to keep the pressure on Moeen and Matt Prior.
3.05pm – FIFTY! Moeen (129b 8x4 0x6) – The left-hander works Herath to leg for single, raising a maiden Test half-century in just his fourth innings.
2.57pm – Moeen advances to Herath, who has switched ends, and firmly hits four over mid-on, taking him to 49 and leaving 200 needed for victory.
2.47pm – Moeen gets a thick outside edge for four through backward point, moving him to 43, during a Pradeep over that contains three no-balls.
Matt Prior's fourth innings average of 44.2 is the highest of anyone batting at least five times for England in the last 10 years
— Investec Cricket (@InvestecCricket) June 24, 2014
2.37pm – At the end of a Pradeep maiden, Moeen inside-edges just short of wicketkeeper Dinesh Chandimal. That cannot quite be considered a chance. Moeen then off-drives Herath for four.
2.27pm – WICKET! Root c Thirimanne b Pradeep 31; Eng 124/6 - Sri Lanka have their man, but with a full ball! The right-hander edges to gully where Lahiru Thirimanne holds on well, low down. England need 226 more runs to win, although they will surely settle for a draw, and the tourists want four wickets.
2.20pm – Mathews makes a double bowling change as Rangana Herath and Nunwan Pradeep come on. Root flicks the latter to leg for his first boundary of the day. He does not have to wait long for another, square-driving Herath for four in the next over. Root then whips Pradeep to the midwicket rope, moving to 31.
2.10pm – Root clips Mathews off his hips for two, raising a resilient fifty partnership with Moeen that is keeping England, who are into three figures, in the game.
England 101-5. @joeroot05 15* & Moeen Ali 26* pic.twitter.com/nw3epMiUw2
— England Cricket (@ECB_cricket) June 24, 2014
2.05pm – Eranga continues to pepper Root with short balls. The right-hander, who has 16 from 86 deliveries, is resisting admirably. Moeen then swivel-pulls for four.
1.53pm – Eranga and Mathews put together consecutive maidens, after which Root ducks into an Eranga bouncer and is hit flush on the helmet although the batsman looks in no pain. Mathews is then spoken to by both umpires about his sledging. Root takes a blow to the body from Eranga and gets four leg-byes to fine-leg.
1.42pm – Moeen Ali sweetly punches Mathews through extra-cover for the first boundary since the resumption. While standing at slip during Eranga’s over Mathews has plenty to say to Root.
One of the last four toss-winning teams at Headingley have won - the preceding six Tests were all won by the toss-winning team
— Investec Cricket (@InvestecCricket) June 24, 2014
1.29pm – Play resumes with Angelo Mathews bowling a maiden to Joe Root. No overs have been lost despite the delay. Shaminda Eranga continues at the other end.
Morning Session
Play to restart at 1:30pm, tea at 4pm #EngvSL
— Yorkshire CCC (@Yorkshireccc) June 24, 2014
Covers coming off at Headingley #EngvSLpic.twitter.com/AsAsChpB57
— England Cricket (@ECB_cricket) June 24, 2014
12.52pm – The rain has stopped and the outer covers are starting to be taken off. Signs are hopeful for a resumption immediately following the 40-minute lunch interval or soon after.
Lunch being taken at 12.30 here at Headingley. England 83-5 #EngvSL
— England Cricket (@ECB_cricket) June 24, 2014
The covers are on as the rain gets heavier here at Headingley #engvSLpic.twitter.com/WN1nFvjoBL
— Yorkshire CCC (@Yorkshireccc) June 24, 2014
12.21pm – The wicket and surrounding areas are protected with more covers coming on. This looks like a passing shower though. The umpires are standing nearby.
12.11pm – RAIN! We’re going off with England 83 for five. Following an Eranga maiden to Moeen, the umpires confer and signal for the covers to come on.
12.05pm – It’s raining now, albeit lightly! Umbrellas are going up in the crowd but the players are staying on. Angelo Mathews takes over from Herath.
12pm – Root and Moeen bat through the first hour, which ends with the hosts 82 for five, requiring another 268 to pull off a stunning chase.
11.52am – Shaminda Eranga replaces Prasad but is initially no more threatening than his fellow seamer this morning. What is threatening, however, is a dark cloud coming towards the ground. Apparently it’s raining nearby. Could we have a delay soon?
@bbctms here is a picture from where I am sat today. Those clouds behind you do not look good!! pic.twitter.com/NwYsIXoGEC
— Sam Shelton (@SamShelton12) June 24, 2014
@ECB_cricket’s Moeen Ali of England batting during Day Five of the 2nd #EngvSL#InvestecTest. Photo: Visionhaus pic.twitter.com/BMRsCJsATS
— Investec Cricket (@InvestecCricket) June 24, 2014
11.37am – Herath and Prasad consecutively bowl a maiden each. England are 75 for five, needing another 275 to win.
11.21am – Prasad is testing Moeen outside off stump, but the left-hander responds with two fours in an over – a back-foot drive through gully and a front-foot drive through point. After another tight Herath over, Mooen beautifully straight-drives Prasad for four more.
11.09am – Sri Lanka immediately put pressure on England as Herath continues. Joe Root sets off for a single to leg but changes his mind and has to dive to make his ground.
11.01am – Spinner Rangana Herath starts the day with the last four balls of the over that saw nightwatchman Liam Plunkett become England’s fifth wicket yesterday. Dhammika Prasad, who made the first four breakthroughs, bowls from the other end, beating Moeen Ali on the drive.
Pre-Play News
10.50am – Ian Bell, playing in his 100th Test, gave a candid assessment of England’s day-four display. See what he had to say here.
10.40am – Angelo Mathews’ magnificent 160, his highest international score, dominated yesterday’s play, setting the scene for Dhammika Prasad to blow away England’s top order with four quick wickets. Here’s our report of day four and here’s the day in pictures.
10.30am – Hello and welcome to our live coverage of the last day of this Investec Series. England are up against it, needing 293 more to win with five wickets left after Sri Lanka reduced them to 57 for five at the close yesterday.