Return of Herath (here he is). Return of Herath (once again). Steady stuff from the spinner, who tempted Hales into that rash shot earlier. Nothing as foolish from Cook, though. Two runs off the over.

How costly could this be? Bairstow has already doubled his score since being dropped by Eranga.

The offending fielder's latest over is another tight one as he dangles the invitation for Cook to drive outside off. The England skipper is way too savvy for that, though.  

Rob Meech: People calling for James Vince's head after three innings. I'm confused - I thought this was 2016, not 1996?

Ciaran Tragheim: A shame to see fans and pundits alike making poor, often flippant remarks about players purely to have their opinion read out.

People on Twitter currently describing Vince as the new Ian Bell. And not in a good way. Don't know about you, but I'd snap your hand off for the next Ian Bell.

Pradeep continues and Cook moves to 59 with a flick to leg. Steady progress from the skipper. He's the spine of this innings.

Edward Lee

No hiding for Eranga. Fresh from dropping Bairstow he is brought into the attack. 'Right son,' says skipper Angelo Mathews, 'make up for it.'

It is a steady return, going for a couple of singles. His ledger shows he is still firmly in the red.

Andrew Samson
BBC Test Match Special statistician

"England have now lost their first four wickets before reaching 100 in five of their last seven innings."

Image source, Chris Mayhew

Chris Mayhew

Bairstow isn't going to change his attacking approach. It has served him superbly well. It brings him another boundary with a flourishing drive through extra cover. He needs to just remember the second ball, though, and not get too carried away. This remains a precarious position for England.

Vic Marks
Ex-England spinner on BBC Test Match Special

"He hit it firmly, straight at the fielder, about knee-high. That could be extremely expensive, because Bairstow doesn't hang around."

Jonathan Agnew
BBC Test Match Special

"What a chance that was. The form Bairstow is in, you can't afford to do that."

Bairstow dropped on 11published at 14:13 British Summer Time 9 June 2016

14:13 BST 9 June 2016

Eng 106-4

Bairstow you lucky boy. Pradeep's first ball drifts to the batsman's pads and he flicks it aerially straight to Eranga at midwicket, who should catch it but spills the ball to the turf. Bairstow rubs salt in the wound by flicking the next ball past the same fielder for four.

Lakmal illustrates again that for all the flatness of the track, a good ball will still threaten. He beats a limp prod from Cook outside off. Equally, a full ball outside off will get what it deserves, as Cook shows with a lovely drive for four. 

Ian Cottam: Vince strikes me as the next Ian Bell. Looks in fine form from the first ball, but gets out just as you're enjoying it!

Rakesh Pradhan: Vince not exactly pressing his case as a top 5 batsman at this level.

Nathan Wake: Compton out, new opener in. Vince at 3, Root at 4, Bairstow at 5 with Hales at 6 while he adapts to Test cricket.

Sri Lanka have England on the ropes but Bairstow's start has already forced the tourists into a rejig, taking third slip out and into a more defensive position. Bairstow shows just why, with a lovely on drive down the pitch for four off Pradeep. The bowler responds with a bouncer that this Lord's pitch allows to reach about waist high to strike the ducking batsman on the shoulder.

Jonathan Agnew
BBC Test Match Special

"England 90-4 on a flat pitch. I'm not sure how they've done it..."

Phil Tufnell
Ex-England spinner on BBC Test Match Special

"Bairstow has come out and made it look so easy. If he sees it, he hits it - he keeps it ever so simple."

Bairstow is not a man to allow himself to be bogged down. From the off he is looking to attack the full ball. Lakmal is a wily character, though, and keeps him in check. 

Image source, Rex Features

Ian: Borthwick & Hildreth for Compton & Vince? These top 5 England batsmen batting collapses are happening way too often.

Pub culture vulture: Wow. We're being particularly generous to the tourists here.

Jonny Bairstow is no stranger to a salvage job. He did it most of last season for Yorkshire and has been called on to do a similar job for England of late. He gets off the mark with a lovely turn to leg that owes completely to timing.