Sri Lanka build towards domination

Close Sri Lanka 264 for 2 (Jayasuriya 85, Samaraweera 68*, Jayawardene 60*) trail England 265 (Flintoff 77, Trescothick 70) by 1 run
Scorecard

A quickfire 85 by Sanath Jayasuriya, followed by a gritty hundred partnership between Thilan Samaraweera and Mahela Jayawardene put Sri Lanka firmly in control of the third and final Test in Colombo. After Chaminda Vaas swiftly wrapped up England's first innings in the sixth over of the morning, Sri Lanka ended an exemplary day's work at 264 for 2, just a single behind England's disappointing total.

Partnerships were the secret of Sri Lanka's success. Jayasuriya, who had failed to pass fifty in 12 attempts against England since his 213 at The Oval in 1998, added a blistering 71 with Kumar Sangakkara, and then a more sedate 67 with Samaraweera to grab the early momentum.

Samaraweera and Jayawardene then consolidated their stranglehold on the match with an unspectacular stand of 126, which slowly chipped away at England's esteem and spirits.

Buoyed by their early success in polishing off England's tail, Sri Lanka came roaring out of the blocks, much as Marcus Trescothick had done in England's first innings. Marvan Atapattu had sustained a hand injury in the field yesterday, so Sangakkara opened in his place and he matched Jayasuriya blow for blow. He played a succession of drives which whistled through the arc between cover point and long-off as Sri Lanka powered along at nearly six an over.

Jayasuriya produced the shot of the morning, a vast straight six off Ashley Giles that left a dent in the corrugated-iron roof of the stand, as well as in Giles's figures, as Michael Vaughan shuffled his bowlers to little avail. Kirtley did eventually give them a much-needed breakthrough, as Sangakkara pushed forward and found a thin edge, which Trescothick, who had a mixed day in the field, scooped up low to his right at slip (71 for 1).

Jayasuriya continued undaunted, though, and brought up his half-century with another thumping four over midwicket. He kept up the tempo by sweeping Giles for two boundaries in a row, and then did the same to Gareth Batty. Samaraweera, meanwhile, took time to get going, but he signalled the fifty partnership with a classical cover-drive for four.

It was hard going for England, and some sloppy fielding, including two dropped catches by Trescothick, didn't do them any favours. Hussain failed to react to an opportunistic rebound off his shin at silly mid-off off Giles, and Samaraweera had made only 12 when he was then dropped at first slip. Trescothick did make up for that mistake by pouching the dangerous Jayasuriya, who nicked a full ball by Andrew Flintoff which moved across him (138 for 2). But it was hero to zero again as he fumbled another straightforward opportunity off Samaraweera, who was on 46 at the time. Flintoff was the unlucky bowler.

Samaraweera didn't mind, though, and he continued to play with caution and wait for the occasional boundary. He pulled a tired James Anderson for four, cover-drove Batty and put away a Vaughan long-hop on the way to his fifth half-century in Tests. There weren't any of the thrills and spills that Jayasuriya and Sangakkara provided, but Samaraweera's knock was just as effective.

Jayawardene confirmed his return to form as he kept the score ticking over with ease. He swept and cut Giles for four in his first over, and later brought up the hundred stand by hammering Giles over midwicket for his fifth bounbdary. He cruised past 50, his sixth against England, off 101 balls - and he wasn't finished there. As the bowlers tired, he helped himself to anything else off target.

For England, it was a day to forget, probably the worst one of their tour. They resumed 259 for 8, but faint hopes of a total of around 300 were swiftly snuffed out by Vaas. He didn't even need a sighter, as he trapped James Kirtley lbw for 1 with his very first ball of the day, before following up two overs later with a similar late-swinging delivery to account for Anderson.

England have failed to take advantage of winning the toss, and even though they went into this match with a stronger attack than at Kandy, their bowling today was tired and toothless - as only two wickets illustrates. Flintoff tried with his usual heart but had little luck, Giles and Batty posed no real threat, while Anderson and Kirtley faded. Vaughan gave himself one over, and Trescothick two, but he was clutching at straws. At the end of a long day England sloped off the field, knowing they may have blown their chances of winning this match - and the series.