LONDON, 15 May 2006 — England finally saw the back of Sri Lanka captain Mahela Jayawardene to move to the brink of victory in the first Test at Lord’s here yesterday.
At stumps on the fourth day the tourists, following-on, were 381 for six in reply to England’s first innings 551 for six declared — a lead of just 22 runs after bad light ended play for the day.
Tillakaratne Dilshan was 39 not out and Chamara Kapugedera unbeaten on five.
For over six hours Jayawardene defied England with an innings of 119, his 14th Test century and second at Lord’s, having top-scored with 61 in his side’s meager first innings 192.
And if the forecast bad weather arrives today, England could yet pay even more heavily for Andrew Strauss’ dropping of Jayawardene on 58.
Prior to Jayawardene’s exit, England’s victory hopes had been further hampered by a bad light break of nearly an hour.
But an unlucky 13 balls after the re-start Jayawardene got a thin glove off the bowling of England captain Andrew Flintoff and was well-caught down the legside by Geraint Jones, the wicketkeeper’s 100th Test dismissal.
Sri Lanka were now 371 for six, only 12 ahead with four wickets standing.
Jayawardene faced 220 balls with 12 boundaries, beating the 107 he made at Lord’s in a drawn Test four years ago, and sharing a stand of 68 with Dilshan.
Kapugedera, on a king pair in his debut Test, then survived a huge lbw shout first ball from Flintoff.
In the first session, England suffered a pair of self-inflicted blows, dropping two catches with Strauss putting down a routine slip chance from Jayawardene.
After lunch, debutant fast bowler Sajid Mahmood took England’s first wickets of the day, the 24-year-old Lancashire paceman striking twice.
