England piled on the runs as they set Sri Lanka a target of 482 on the third day of the second cricket Test at Lord’s yesterday and look set to wrap up the three –match series after winning the first Test as Joe Root joined a select band of batters to make twin hundreds at the hallowed venue in London.
Root, having made 143 in the first innings, reached his century in the second innings by cutting a ball from fast bowler Lahiru Kumara to the boundary with England eight wickets down.
Expecting England to declare with the total at 251 for 9 and a lead of 281, Root hit a ball from Kumara in a lusty blow only to be caught on the mid-wicket fence with his score on 103 made in 121 balls with ten fours.
Resuming from an overnight score of 25 for 1 in the second innings, a lead of 256, England progressed comfortably with the charismatic first innings centurion Joe Root dictating terms by striking the bowlers all over the field with ease.
Sri Lanka spin bowler Prabath Jayasuriya was the most expensive conceding 105 runs off 20 overs while taking two wickets.
The only consolation that Sri Lanka had so far in the match was the grabbing of five wickets by fast bowler Asitha Fernando who bowled his heart out in the first essay but his effort was all in vain as his team was dismissed for a first innings total of 196 after England made 427.
