Mahela Lanka146;s top ton-maker

Starting the day on 147-4, Jayawardene and Tillekeratne Dilshan put on 149 runs for the fifth wicket but Dilshan8217;s run out for 84 and the immediate dismissal of Prasanna Jayawardene shortly before tea brought England back into the game. Having suffered that hiccup, Sri Lanka steadied as Jayawardene and Vaas combined for an unbeaten 97-run stand in the evening session. Jayawardene faced 351 balls and hit 15 boundaries. 8220;Given the fact that we batted under some difficult conditions, it8217;s a good effort and I am very pleased with it,8221; Jayawardene said. 8220;My target was to get Sri Lanka out of the dangerous situation and put ourselves to advantage. That8217;s what I did.

8220;I think we have put ourselves in a good position to win this Test match.8221; England, needing to win this test to level the series, came close to making an early breakthrough, but Alastair Cook at gully dropped a chance off Dilshan before he had added to his overnight score of seven.

Dilshan was dropped again on 54 when wicketkeeper Matt Prior grassed a chance off the bowling of Ryan Sidebottom. He then survived a confident appeal for caught behind when on 64. Australian umpire Daryl Harper gave him not out, but replays showed the Matthew Hoggard delivery brushed his glove. He was finally out when, as non-striker, he attempted the single that would have brought his captain a century but Cook made a direct hit with his throw from point.

Three balls later, England seamer Ravi Bopara broke through for his first Test wicket when he had Prasanna Jayawardene caught behind, but England8217;s momentum petered out in the final session. 8220;I felt at times England were a bit negative,8221; the Sri Lanka captain said. 8220;At times they came hard at us but they gave it up pretty easily.8221;

Jayawardene said England bowlers wasted the advantage from the pitch and bowled too wide. 8220;It was a tough wicket to bat on it had plenty of bounce, a lot of movement and spin as well.8221;

SCOREBOARD

Sri Lanka first inningsovernight 147-4

M.Vandort lbw Sidebottom 18,U.Tharanga lbw Harmison 16,K.Sangakkara c Panesar b Harmison 46, M.Jayawardene not out 149, C.Silva c Bell b Harmison 1, T.Dilshan run out 84, P .Jayawardene c Prior b Bopara 0, C.Vaas not out 46

Extras b-1, lb-14, w-7, nb-2 24

Total six wickets, 129 overs 384

Fall of wickets: 1-34, 2-44, 3-132, 4-138, 5-287, 6-287

Bowling: Sidebottom 30-9-75-1, Hoggard 27-4-97-0, Harmison 29-4-72-3, Panesar 24-3-58-0, Bopara 10-1-39-1, Collingwood 6-1-17-0, Pietersen 3-0-11-0.