Summary

  • Day three, second Test, Lord's

  • Sri Lanka close on 53-2, still needing 430 to win, after bad light ends play early

  • Root catches Madushka and Nissanka to move to 200 Test catches

  • Root brings up record 34th Test century for England

  • Watch highlights on Today at the Test from 19:25 BST on BBC Two and iPlayer

Live Reporting

by Ffion Wynne & Tom Mallows

  1. That's the sort of chat I am here for.

  2. Phil Tufnell
    Former England spinner on BBC Test Match Special

    Well, telepathic thoughts could be quite handy in cricket, wouldn't it? You wouldn't have to even call for your running between the wickets.

  3. Simon Mann
    BBC Test Match Special commentator on BBC Sounds

    Are you sure you're not making this up, Tuffers? We could levitate?

  4. Phil Tufnell
    Former England spinner on BBC Test Match Special

    Apparently, there's a great big chunk of the brain that we don't use.

    They say if we do use it, we could levitate or have telepathic thoughts.

  5. Eng 204-6

    Prabath Jayasuriya pulls out of his delivery stride - was he warning Joe Root about drifting out of his crease?

    I'm not sure, though Root made an obvious attempt to drop back into his ground.

    Four singles off the over. Time for some seam as Asitha Fernando comes back into the attack.

    Expect some short stuff.

  6. Michael Vaughan
    Former England captain on BBC Test Match Special

    A streaky start for Gus Atkinson.

    England are going to have a bit of fun.

  7. Eng 200-6

    File that under streaky.

    Gus Atkinson's first ball is a loose drive that catches the edge but fizzes wide of slip and runs away for four.

    The England 200 is up.

  8. Here is Gus Atkinson to join Joe Root.

    Who will get to 100 first?

  9. Michael Vaughan
    Former England captain on BBC Test Match Special

    A clear message has been sent out to England's batters, they're all going for it now.

    It was a smart catch from Nissanka because that travelled quickly. I reckon we'll have about 10 overs left of England batting and then they'll be ready to bowl.

  10. Alison Mitchell
    Commentator on BBC Test Match Special

    Another! Can the tail hang around for Joe Root's century?

  11. wicket

    WICKET

    Woakes c Nissanka b Rathnayake 5 (Eng 196-6)

    I think England have been told to get on with things.

    It is a loose shot from Chris Woakes, who smacks the ball straight to Pathum Nissanka in the covers.

  12. Phil Tufnell
    Former England spinner on BBC Test Match Special

    Get Alastair ready - Joe fancies this!

  13. Eng 195-5

    Steady, Joe! He nearly gets himself out with an attempted ramp shot again.

    He reverts to orthodoxy next ball, sublimely pulling away to the rope.

  14. Phil Tufnell
    Former England spinner on BBC Test Match Special

    Beautiful position, beautiful placement.

    It's like Joe Root just pushes it through the gap. There are some tired bodies out there for Sri Lanka.

  15. Eng 191-5

    Joe Root, stop it.

    He is simply caressing the ball around the ground, twice clobbering it to mid-wicket before a glorious reverse-sweep through deep third.

  16. This is the most recent wicket to fall, with Jamie Smith out sweeping off Prabath Jayasuriya for 26.

  17. Alison Mitchell
    Commentator on BBC Test Match Special

    Nasty one for Chris Woakes, he took his eye off the ball there.

  18. Eng 178-5

    Ouch.

    Chris Woakes turns away from a short delivery from Milan Rathnayake and the ball smacks onto this helmet, via a thin edge, and loops away for four.

    Woakes, ever cheery, is fine to continue though.

  19. Alison Mitchell
    Commentator on BBC Test Match Special

    Joe Root will be hoping he doesn't run out of partners, with England's Test centuries record in sight!

  20. Some illustrious names there.

    I'd fancy Joe Root to climb further up that list in the next couple of years the way he is playing.