Dom Bess has weathered the early spin storm and he's cashing in nicely, this time leaning back and cutting Suranga Lakmal through backward point for four.

Oh, that'll be four more, too! Bess pulls this time, more top edge than anything, but he's got it away. That takes England's total down to below 100. Must admit, I'm not too sure why the spinners aren't bowling...

Daniel Norcross
BBC Test Match Special

That's a beautiful shot from Dom Bess. That was a bit like Ian Bell.

My word, that's swung. Asitha Fernando sends an absolute peach, somehow, just past Dom Bess' bat. I think Bess has done well to not nick that, actually.

Bess ends the over by taking an overpitched delivery from Fernando and driving it with pure elegance through cover for four.

Daniel Norcross
BBC Test Match Special

Dom Bess has batted Lasith Embuldeniya out of the account here. He will think he's won that little battle.

Asitha Fernando is back. Hmm.

Daniel Norcross
BBC Test Match Special

It intrigues me that Suranga Lakmal is back into the attack. It is a new-ish ball but it is turning a lot.

There are 29 overs left in the day which... feels like a lot? Especially on a day when the spinners have bowled the majority of the overs.

Joe Root is examining his bat in a slightly suspicious manner.

Rob Meech: Need to scramble our way to 350 here to have a chance of winning this game. Sri Lanka’s spinners offer a much greater threat than our own on a wearing pitch. Root has been magnificent but must keep going.

Dom Bess is having a slightly better time of things against the spin. This time he hustles a couple of runs off Lasith Embuldeniya out to square leg.

Mark Burt: Kumar Sangakkara reckons 170 is the max score that can be chased down on this pitch. So it’s simple, Root has to score another hundred runs and stagger back on the pitch and hope his bowlers can skittle SL for 120.

A maiden from Suranga Lakmal, with Dom Bess meeting everything with a straight.

Suranga Lakmal is coming on.

Phil Tufnell
Former England spinner on BBC Test Match Special

It has just got to that lovely time for a spin bowler now where not every ball is turning. If four out of six turn, and the odd one skids a bit, that's lovely.

Another tidy over from Lasith Embuldeniya, who has 5-104 from his 30 overs.

Joe Root clatters another sweep into the hip of the short leg fielder which, of all the places to be hit, seems particularly unpleasant. Root holds a hand up in apology to Fernando, who jogs it off.

Root misses his next sweep - a rare sight - but the ball has fizzed sharply, enough to beat Niroshan Dickwella and race away for byes.

Simon Mann
BBC Test Match Special

It is hard work for Dom Bess. You feel a wicket could go at any moment from his end.

Phil Tufnell
Former England spinner on BBC Test Match Special

Dom Bess must be walking down the wicket and asking Joe Root 'am I playing on the same wicket as you, skip?'. Every time he is getting forward it is leaping and spitting past him.

It is so difficult to get yourself in on these pitches, but you've just got to keep it in the back of your mind that if you get through it will get easier.

Lasith Embuldeniya bowls another no ball, which I'm not having from a spinner.

He makes up for it with another beauty that beats Dom Bess, who is having a torturous time out there.

Over in Abu Dhabi, Ireland have posted 259-9 in the second one-day international. Paul Stirling smashed 128 off 132 balls, but found very little support at the other end - Naveen-ul-Haq taking 4-42. Follow the Afghanistan run-chase here.