Sri Lanka skipper leads by example

Captain Jayawardene, 30, became his country's most prolific Test centurion in the process as his opposite number Michael Vaughan's decision to insert was not backed up by the bowling and fielding.

Overnight rain reduced the second day's allotment of overs but Jayawardene still managed to bat for over five hours, patiently developing his unbeaten 51 into an unbeaten 149 out of Sri Lanka's 384 for six.

Jayawardene lost fifth-wicket partner Tillakaratne Dilshan, run out, in trying to reach three figures but was celebrating his 21st Test hundred in the following over, the first after tea when he rushed through for a single off Ryan Sidebottom.

His 195 in the drawn match in Colombo last week had hoisted him alongside Aravinda de Silva in his country's list.

England finally ended a frustrating wait for a wicket when in the 45th over of the day, after numerous near-misses, Alastair Cook secured a freeze-frame run-out of Dilshan for 84.

Attempting to steal the single which would have taken his captain to another career milestone, television replays showed the diving Dilshan was narrowly short of his ground as Cook pounced from gully to hit the stumps with an under-arm throw.

Cook's Essex colleague Ravi Bopara was celebrating a maiden Test victim three balls later when Prasanna Jayawardene edged behind.

Like the first of the day, however, England failed to take a wicket in the final session as Chaminda Vaas proved to be admirable support for his captain against a weary bowling unit.