Angelo Mathews continues his Scrooge-like bowling. His run of maidens is ended with a single, but it is the only run from the over.

Quick, someone send three ghosts to visit the Sri Lanka skipper during the next over. Bah humbug.

butters11: Time saving Idea: reduce all England test matches to 3 days, commencing automatically at 80/4 with Cook and Bairstow opening .

This is like an arm wrestle between the Rock and Arnie and in his prime. There is the occasional wobble one way and another but mainly just deadlock.

Bairstow comes close to another boundary with a strike through extra-cover but is denied by a diving man just in front of the rope.

Angelo Mathews returns to the attack with another maiden. His figures so far? Five overs, five maidens, 0-0. The captain is doing his bit.

Michael Vaughan
Ex-England captain on BBC Test Match Special

Image source, AP

"If Virat Kohli played that shot, we'd have all been purring."

Bairstow releases some pressure with a stormer of a lofted drive over extra cover after skipping down the track to Herath. Confident, classy stuff. England's in-form man is slowly building an innings here.

Michael Vaughan
Ex-England captain on BBC Test Match Special

"Without disrespecting the attack, because they have bowled very well, batting at Lord's doesn't get easier than this. There should be a number by your name on a day like today."

You can see the lights go in Bairstow's eyes as he senses a ball that just veers too full. That is his big scoring shot. He tries to go down the ground to Eranga but doesn't quite catch it and has to settle for a single.

Michael Vaughan
Ex-England captain on BBC Test Match Special

"Sri Lanka have been disciplined all day. They have got the right length. They have realised the pitch is slow so haven't bowled too short, always bringing the batsmen forward."

Slip and short-leg in for Cook as Herath continues. Clever cricket from the England captain and partner Bairstow, who manoeuvre the ball well to add four runs to the total. Steady progress.

Vic Marks
Ex-England spinner on BBC Test Match Special

Image source, Rex Features

"Sri Lanka turned it round from drinks onwards in the morning session. It doesn't matter how good the batsmen are, they don't like not scoring. They put pressure on by clogging the batsmen up. Only Cook seems unbothered by it. We have a game on."

David Hobgen: Swap Borthwick for Compton or move Vince to 3 and get one of the talented crop of youngsters in at 5. Westley, Clarke or Hain.

Vic Marks
Ex-England spinner on BBC Test Match Special

Image source, Rex Features

"I'm willing Eranga to get a wicket because he's bowled better than his figures have suggested. He's going through a tough spell with the scrutiny on his action. He can only soldier on and not get impatient."

Seven overs now since the last boundary as Eranga probes away outside Bairstow's off stump. This is a fascinating battle for the Test-loving cricket purists. It's certainly not one for those weaned on the big hitting of T20. 

It certainly a very different affair to the game against New Zealand around this time last summer when Ben Stokes smashed that century in 85 balls.

Herath continues to steadily turn the screw. Pinning Cook at the striker's end. The skipper isn't the problem in these circumstances. He can bat all day. But Bairstow needs to be canny.

Still fancy seeing some live cricket at HQ today? Then you might want to check this offer...

Good nut from Eranga. He gets a good-length to ball to nip a bit and beat the outside edge of Bairstow's dangled, straight bat. The tourists are bottling England up again here. This is what led to the wickets earlier. This is a battle of the mind.

Tom Fordyce
Chief sports writer at Lord's

"Bairstow the sort of batsman that even the notorious late lunchers of Lord's will come dashing back in to watch. Going along at a run a ball, a study in confident animation from his first ball, the contrast with the downbeat demeanour and crowd-silencing struggles of Nick Compton is a stark one."