Sri Lanka captain Tillakaratne Dilshan led from the front with an unbeaten century as the tourists fought back against England on the second day of the second Test at Lord’s here Saturday.
At stumps, Sri Lanka were 231 for one, 255 runs behind England’s first innings 486.
Dilshan was 127* after sharing a record-breaking first-wicket partnership of 207 with left-hander Tharanga Paranavitana (65).
This was Sri Lanka’s first century opening stand in a Test in England and the best for any first wicket in England-Sri Lanka Tests, surpassing the 168 shared by England’s Marcus Trescothick and Michael Vaughan in 2002 on another typically good Lord’s pitch.
Former Sri Lanka captain Kumar Sangakkara was unbeaten on 13 at the close.
Earlier, England were bowled out for 486 on the stroke of lunch, with wicketkeeper Matt Prior making 126 — his fourth Test hundred.
Prior, together with Stuart Broad, who made an elegant 54, scored briskly during a seventh-wicket stand of 108 in 91 balls.
