Summary

  • Debutant Ben Foakes makes assured unbeaten 87

  • Foakes shares partnerships of 61 with Buttler, 88 with Sam Curran & 54 with Rashid

  • Rashid edges to slip for 35 off 38 balls three overs before close - gives Perera his fourth wicket

  • Curran makes 48; Buttler (38) only wicket to fall in afternoon session

  • Stokes (7), Jennings (46), Root (35), Moeen (0) & Burns (9) out before lunch

  • First Test in three-match series v Sri Lanka

Live Reporting

Tom Rostance and Matthew Henry

  1. Eng 263-7

    Two wickets in two balls for Suranga Lakmal this morning, it feels a long time ago now. Here he comes, whistling in with a hard conker in his hands.

    Adil Rashid guides him away to third man.

  2. new ball

    New ball

    The new ball is available, and it's taken.

  3. Eng 262-7

    Foakes 71, Rashid 6

    Woosh! Where has that come from?! Adil Rashid is batting like Tuesday morning, down the track and slaughtered over midwicket for four. Wonderful shot, if a touch risky.

    Ben Foakes then plays a very neat three away on the off side.

  4. Eng 254-7

    Foakes 68, Rashid 1

    Ben Foakes almost clips one to short leg again, this time it doesn't carry though. Just helped off his hip.

  5. Eng 252-7

    Foakes 67, Rashid 0

    Adil Rashid is the new man at the crease, with the new ball due in two overs. He sees out the remaining balls with no issue.

    Sri Lankan skip Dinesh Chandimal was injured earlier on and limps away from making that catch.

  6. wicket

    WICKET

    Curran c Chandimal b Dananjaya 48 (Eng 252-7)

    There it is! The drinks break does the damage yet again. It's not a good ball either, Sam Curran tries to take the cover off it with a flat-batted hoik, all he can do is edge it behind and Sri Lankan skipper Dinesh Chandimal pouches it.

  7. Eng 252-6

    The first over after drinks seems to so often lead to a wicket. How will England fare?

    Ben Foakes works the first ball away for one.

    And then...!

  8. Ben Foakes gets some treatment to his left thumb during the drinks break, a touch of cramp maybe? Or just an impact injury from facing 156 balls?

    Either way it's nothing too serious. There are 13 overs due to come before the close.

  9. Drinks break

    A drinks break that is very much needed. It's hot out there.

  10. Eng 251-6

    Foakes 66, Curran 48

    The 250 up for England as Sam Curran clips an overpitched ball away for two. He looks fresh, as you'd expect for a 20-year-old.

    Rangana Herath, not so much. Some very steady fielding to cut it off...

  11. Your alternative Aussie slogans

    #bbccricket

    Benjamin Thacker: How about 'we all sand united'?

    Len: "Providing sandpaper since 2018"

    Simon B: New Aussie cricket slogan? How about "Sanding off the rough edges for a kinder tomorrow".

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  13. Eng 249-6

    Foakes 66, Curran 46

    Four overs until the new ball. Seamer Suranga Lakmal may get the new cherry in his hand. At the moment we are ticking along, a few singles per over, very steady stuff.

  14. Get Involved - alternative Aussie slogans

    Text 81111 or tweet #bbcricket

    Surely the new slogan for the Australians should be... "You've got to use the rough with the smooth"

    Kevin in Hampshire

  15. Eng 246-6

    Foakes 65, Curran 44

    Watch the ball, hit the ball. That's Ben Foakes' personal slogan today. Impressive.

  16. Your alternative Aussie slogans

    #bbccricket

    Jamie Ayrton: Shake hands with us, beat us, shake hands with us again

    ElGolinho: Sledge with us, sand with us

    Andy Gould: Aussie cricket slogan..... "Take the rough with the smooth" maybe written on some sandpaper

  17. Jonathan Agnew
    BBC cricket correspondent in Galle

    I wonder how Sri Lanka feel about how England have turned things around. Buttler, Foakes and Curran have put things into perspective. Sri Lanka are looking around for options.

    The way England have applied themselves since lunch makes you scratch your head about how they applied themselves this morning.

  18. Get Involved - alternative Australian Cricket slogans

    Tweet #bbccricket or text 81111

    We're asking for your thoughts and alternatives to 'smile with us, dream with us'...

    That Aussie slogan sounds like it's been nicked from the Tweenies theme tune.

    Matt from Epworth

  19. Eng 244-6

    Not bad company to keep. The umpires check the ball which is out of shape after that latest Sam Curran six, it's OK to play on with though. A new one is due in just six overs anyway.

  20. How's stat?!

    Andy Zaltzman
    The Cricket Social statistician

    Sam Curran has batted nine times in Tests for England and in eight of those he has scored 20 or more. He is only the fourth England player to have scored 20 or more in eight of their first nine innings.

    The others are Douglas Jardine, Herbert Sutcliffe and David Gower.