Postpublished at 07:04 Greenwich Mean Time 16 January 2021
Sam Curran is going to share the new ball.
Summary
Thirimanne 76* - dropped on 51
Highest score since 2013
Perera 62, Mendis 15
Openers Perera & Thirimanne add 101
Sri Lanka trail by 286 on first innings
England slip from 372-4 to 421 all out
Root 228 - fourth Test double century
Lawrence 73, Bairstow 47, Perera 4-109
First Test, day three, Galle
Two-Test series postponed from March
Postpublished at 07:04 Greenwich Mean Time 16 January 2021
Postpublished at 07:04 Greenwich Mean Time 16 January 2021
Michael Vaughan
Former England captain on BBC Test Match SpecialPerera's natural instinct is to attack, but Sri Lanka have just got to dig in - get the England bowlers into their second, third, fourth spells.
SL 2-0published at 1 over
Trail by 284
The third ball of the over loops into the covers off Kusal Perera's edge as well. Shakey start for the opener.
There is thick cloud over Galle. It'll be a miracle if we don't get an interruption at some stage today.
Postpublished at 07:02 Greenwich Mean Time 16 January 2021
Simon Mann
BBC Test Match SpecialThat could easily have gone to hand.
SL 2-0published at 0.2 overs
Chance!
Kusal Perera tries to turn Stuart Broad into the on side and gets a huge leading edge. It loops up in the air, to safety, over where a gully would have been in England had one.
SL 0-0published at 0.1 overs
Weather and light permitting there are 74 overs left in the day.
Kusal Perera gets in behind Stuart Broad's first delivery.
Postpublished at 06:59 Greenwich Mean Time 16 January 2021
The players are out in the middle and Stuart Broad will get us going.
Can Sri Lanka dig in and show some fight?
Postpublished at 06:58 Greenwich Mean Time 16 January 2021
Jonathan Agnew
BBC cricket correspondent on Test Match SpecialThe fact England have got this huge lead, even if they lose a lot of time to rain over the next three days, they should win this.
get involved Get Involvedpublished at 06:54 Greenwich Mean Time 16 January 2021
#bbccricket
DonQuixote: We may have lost a flurry of wickets but to get a first-innings lead of nigh on 300, after losing the toss in the sub-continent, is pretty impressive.
Bowling figurespublished at 06:50 Greenwich Mean Time 16 January 2021
Lasith Embuldeniya: 3-176 off 45 overs
Asitha Fernando: 2-44 off 14 overs
Wanindu Hasaranga: 0-63 off 15 overs
Dilruwan Perera: 4-109 off 36.1 overs
Dasun Shanaka: 0-22 off seven overs
Postpublished at 06:45 Greenwich Mean Time 16 January 2021
Ebony Rainford-Brent
Former England women's batter on BBC Test Match SpecialWe thought England with Jos Buttler and Joe Root this morning might have batted into the next session and got a ridiculous lead, but this way, with the rain and potential of interruptions, England having a healthy lead just speeds up the game.
get involved Get Involvedpublished at 06:41 Greenwich Mean Time 16 January 2021
#bbccricket
Tim Baker: Standing ovation of one in the living room this morning. Brilliant knock @root66.
Arslan: Well played Root. Still among the TOP players.
Postpublished at 06:38 Greenwich Mean Time 16 January 2021
Jonathan Agnew
BBC cricket correspondent on Test Match SpecialJust quietly Dilruwan Perera has sneaked in there with four wickets.
Lasith Embuldeniya, who has been by far the best spinner, may feel he's been burgled there.
What have you missed?published at 06:35 Greenwich Mean Time 16 January 2021
It has been a slightly chaotic morning in Galle with England being bowled out for 421 - a lead of 286.
Here's what happened during that morning session:
- Jos Buttler and Joe Root added 52 to England's overnight 320-4 before the former was caught behind off pace bowler Asitha Fernando for 30
- Fernando then bowled Sam Curran first ball with a lovely delivery that nipped back in and flattened off stump
- Root progressed to his fourth Test double century in the next over. It came up off 291 balls with one six and 15 fours
- Dom Bess was run out in comical fashion, before Jack Leach and Mark Wood were dismissed by Dilruwan Perera
- The innings ended 10 minutes before the scheduled lunch when Root, looking to attack and score quick runs, was caught on the mid-wicket boundary off Perera, who finished with 4-109.
You're all caught up.
Image source, Sri Lanka CricketPostpublished at 06:30 Greenwich Mean Time 16 January 2021
I'm pretty sure on day one when England lost the toss they would have taken a first-innings lead of 286.
It's going to take something miraculous for them not to win this game - and, regardless of the weather, with time in hand.
Postpublished at 06:28 Greenwich Mean Time 16 January 2021
Thanks Amy.
They do say the third day of a Test match is moving day, and it really has moved on this morning.
The question is now can Sri Lanka make a better fist of their second innings or is this game going to end today?
Lunchpublished at 06:26 Greenwich Mean Time 16 January 2021
The players have indeed taking lunch, which means play will resume at 7am GMT.
I'm off for food of my own. Callum Matthews will take you through to tea.
Postpublished at 06:25 Greenwich Mean Time 16 January 2021
Ebony Rainford-Brent
Former England women's batter on BBC Test Match SpecialThis session will just give Sri Lanka a little bit of a lift that they can, if they knuckle down, take wickets and have an impact.
The game has moved at pace this morning.
What's the weather forecast?published at 06:23 Greenwich Mean Time 16 January 2021
If you wondered why England tried to get a hurry-on this morning...
Postpublished at 06:23 Greenwich Mean Time 16 January 2021
Jonathan Agnew
BBC cricket correspondent on Test Match SpecialJoe Root has really made a statement at the start of the year 2021.