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Sri Lanka makes a sound start

London: Sri Lanka captain Tillakaratne Dilshan helped deny England a breakthrough as the tourist tried to put its series-opening batting collapse behind it at Lord's.

Sri Lanka was 101 without loss in reply to England's first innings 486, a deficit of 385, at tea on the second day of the second Test here on Saturday.

Dilshan was batting on 54 not out and fellow opener Tharanga Paranavitana on 32.

It was all a far cry from Monday's collapse in Cardiff where Sri Lanka was dismissed for just 82 as England won the first Test by an innings and 14 runs to take a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.

Missed chance

England missed a chance to separate the openers when, with the score on 37, left-hander Paranavitana, on 13, edged fast bowler Steven Finn, recalled in place of the injured James Anderson, to Alastair Cook at third slip.

But Cook, fielding in the spot vacated by the retired Paul Collingwood, failed to hold the chance despite getting both hands to the ball.

Dilshan, meanwhile, played his natural free-scoring game, hooking Chris Tremlett, one of England's trio of 6ft 5in plus seamers, for six on his way to a 58-ball fifty as Paranavitana dropped anchor.

Prior rides his luck

Earlier, Matt Prior rode his luck to score 126 — his fourth Test hundred. Prior, together with Stuart Broad, who made a brisk and elegant 54, took the game away from Sri Lanka during a seventh-wicket stand of 108 in 91 balls.

Chris Tremlett (24 not out) and Steven Finn (19) frustrated Sri Lanka with a last-wicket stand of 34 before the latter was bowled by left-arm spinner Rangana Herath.

England, which had slumped to 22 for three after losing the toss on Friday, resumed on 342 for six after Alastair Cook (96) and Eoin Morgan (79) had both fallen short of a hundred.

Prior was 73 not out overnight and Broad, offering good support, 17 not out.

Indeed it was Broad, a right-handed fast bowler but a left-hand bat, who stylishly cover-drove paceman Chanaka Welegedara for four in the first over of the day.

Prior though went from 86 to 94 with two fortunate fours, edging seamer Suranga Lakmal just short of wicketkeeper Prasanna Jayawardene and next ball through the slips.

Then, on 94, Prior was dropped when he drove outside off-stump against left-armer Welegedara and a normally reliable second slip Mahela Jayawardene failed to hold a catch high to his right.

Broad then completed a 47-ball fifty with his ninth four before Prior's luck held again when he went to 99 by edging a cut off Lakmal between keeper and first slip for four.

A quick single took Prior through to a century off 107 balls with 17 fours.

It was Prior's second Test century at Lord's, following his 126 not out against the West Indies on his Test debut in 2007. — AFP

England — 1st innings: A. Strauss lbw b Welegedara 4, A. Cook c Maharoof b Fernando 96, J. Trott lbw b Lakmal 2, K. Pietersen c Dilshan b Lakmal 2, I. Bell c Paranavitana b Welegedara 52, E. Morgan lbw b Lakmal 79, M. Prior b Herath 126, S. Broad lbw b Welegedara 54, G. Swann c Paranavitana b Welegedara 4, C. Tremlett (not out) 24, S. Finn b Herath 19; Extras (b-3, lb-7, w-4, nb-10): 24; Total (in 112.5 overs): 486.

Fall of wickets: 1-5, 2-18, 3-22, 4-130, 5-201, 6-302, 7-410, 8-414, 9-452.

Sri Lanka bowling: Welegedara 28-4-122-4, Lakmal 25-2-126-3, Maharoof 17-5-57-0, Fernando 17-2-77-1, Herath 18.5-1-64-2, Dilshan 7-1-30-0.

Sri Lanka — 1st innings: T. Paranavitana (batting) 32, T. Dilshan (batting) 54; Extras (b-4, lb-8, w-2, nb-1): 15; Total (for no loss in 28 overs, at tea): 101.

England bowling: Broad 10-2-33-0, Tremlett 6-2-21-0, Finn 7-2-18-0, Swann 5-1-17-0 .

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