Cardiff: Prasanna Jayawardene's hundred left Sri Lanka well-placed against England on the second day of the first Test on Friday.
 Prasanna Jayawardene's hundred left Sri Lanka well-placed on the second day of the first Test. © AFP |
Sri Lanka then collected a prize scalp shortly before the close when England captain Andrew Strauss edged Suranga Lakmal, who might not have been playing but for injuries to first-choice seamers Dilhara Fernando and Nuwan Pradeep, to Mahela Jayawardene at second slip for 20.
At stumps, England were 47 for one -- a deficit of 353.
Ashes hero Alastair Cook was 24 not out and nightwatchman James Anderson, unable to bowl for periods on Friday because of a back and side strain, unbeaten on one in England's first Test since completing a 3-1 series win in Australia in January.
Sri Lanka were faltering when Prasanna Jayawardene took guard but the 31-year-old, whose Test career has been revived by the decision of former captain Kumar Sangakkara to give up the gloves, was undaunted.
"This is my first Test in England so I am very happy," Prasanna Jayawardene said after batting for more than four hours. "I love handling pressure.
"This is a new challenge but the management trust me and I showed that," he added of his promotion to No 6.
Prasanna Jayawardene gave just one chance before reaching his century when, on 89, he edged off-spinner Graeme Swann only for first slip Strauss to drop the sharp catch.
The keeper played a stroke worthy of Mahela Jayawardene (no relation), when he cover-drove Swann for four to reach 96.
Then a legside three off fast bowler Chris Tremlett took him to a third Test hundred, and first against England, off 147 balls with a dozen boundaries.
England were frustrated Friday by the controversial review system.
They twice thought they had all-rounder Farveez Maharoof lbw only to fail on review both times.
That meant they had no reviews left but there was more replay torment ahead.
Rangana Herath had made 10 when he edged Tremlett to Strauss. However, the batsman stood his ground and the umpires referred the decision to Australia's Rod Tucker.
The third umpire, as often happens in cases of low catches, decided there was enough doubt to rule in the batsman's favour.
Prasanna Jayawardene was well supported by Test debutant Thisara Perera and Herath in eighth and ninth wicket stands of 68 and 51 respectively that compounded England's agony.
He was eventually out when caught behind off seamer Stuart Broad, making his comeback to Test cricket after a stomach injury in Adelaide in November ruled him out of most of the Ashes.
The 24-year-old Broad, in returning two for 113 on Friday, became the second youngest England bowler after Ian Botham to take 100 Test wickets.
"I would rather have done it when they were 90 for one," Broad said of his milestone.
"We are still in a decent position but Sri Lanka batted fantastically well in foreign conditions and applied themselves brilliantly."
Sri Lanka resumed Friday on 133 for two after skipper Tillakaratne Dilshan (50), who won the toss, and Sangakkara (11) had exited late on Thursday's rain-marred first day.
Mahela Jayawardene failed to add to his overnight four and he was soon followed back into the pavilion by opener Tharanga Paranavitana, who made a valuable 66.
Thilan Samaraweera rode his luck before Anderson had him caught by second slip Swann for 58 to end a stand of 84 with Prasanna Jayawardene.
At 243 for five, England, would have reckoned on running through the rest of the batting but Prasanna Jayawardene had other ideas.
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