Joe Root proved to be England's anchorman yet again as wickets fell around him in the second Test against Sri Lanka at Lord's on Thursday (August 29, 2024).
England, 42-2 when star batsman Root came in to bat, were 200-5 at tea on the first day.
Former captain Root, fresh from his match-clinching 62 not out in England's five-wicket win in the first Test at Old Trafford last week, was unbeaten on 81.
Root is closing in on equalling the England record of 33 Test hundreds held by the retired Alastair Cook.
No other batsman on Thursday had yet made more than opener Ben Duckett's 40.
Earlier, Ollie Pope was out in single figures for his third successive innings as England-stand-in captain, with Sri Lanka, looking to level this three-match series at 1-1, taking three wickets before lunch after winning the toss.
Despite the sunny overhead conditions, Sri Lanka captain Dhananjaya de Silva decided to field first.
It looked a questionable decision when left-hander Duckett scored three fours in an over off Asitha Fernando.
But makeshift opener Dan Lawrence, again in for the injured Zak Crawley, fell for nine when caught behind pushing away from his body off Lahiru Kumara, recalled in place of Vishwa Fernando.
De Silva said at the toss the prospect of swing had encouraged him to field first, but it had little to do with Sri Lanka's second wicket.
Pope, twice out for six at Old Trafford in his debut match as England skipper in place of the still-injured Ben Stokes, had made just one when he top-edged a pull off paceman Fernando and De Silva held a well-judged catch as he ran back from square leg.
Not for the first time in his long England career, the 33-year-old Root came in with the innings in the balance.
He was on 11 when rapped on the pad by a full-length Kumara delivery to spark a raucous lbw appeal.
Paul Reiffel ruled not out, with Sri Lanka's review seeing the decision upheld on umpire's call.
But no technology was required when left-arm spinner Prabath Jayasuriya struck with just his fourth ball, Duckett top-edging an extravagant reverse-sweep to Kumara on the point boundary as his 47-ball 40 came to a disappointing end.
Brook and Smith depart
England reached lunch in the far from secure position of 97-3.
But a sound stand of 48 between Root and Yorkshire team-mate Harry Brook kept Sri Lanka at bay.
Brook, however, fell for a promising 33 featuring 20 runs in boundaries when lbw to Fernando.
Brook reviewed, but the decision was again upheld on umpire's call, with England now 130-4.
Root, however, went on to complete an 81-ball fifty before late-cutting fast bowler Milan Rathnayake for four and clubbing Jayasuriya for another boundary.
Jamie Smith, who scored his maiden Test century in Manchester, offered good support in a partnership of 62.
But he was out for 21 when he edged Rathnayake with wicketkeeper Nishan Madushka, behind the stumps following Dinesh Chandimal's finger injury in the first Test, holding a simple catch.
