2nd Test: Joe Root stands tall as England reach 200-5

IMAGES from the 2nd Test between England and Sri Lanka on Day 1 at the Lord's on Thursday

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Joe Root brought up his 65th Test half-century as England lost two wickets in the afternoon session and reached tea on 200-5 in the second Test against Sri Lanka at Lord's on Thursday.

Harry Brook (33) fell lbw to Asitha Fernando and Jamie Smith (21) was caught behind off Milan Rathnayake as England ended the second session with Root (81) and Chris Woakes (6) at the crease.

Sri Lanka captain Dhananjaya de Silva surprisingly chose to bowl, gambling on early swing despite the glorious sunshine at the toss.

His decision seemed like a risk, even as opening bowlers Fernando and Rathnayake found some movement in the air.

And when Ben Duckett hit three boundaries in Fernando's second over, De Silva – who opted to bat at Old Trafford last week, only to see his side fall to 6-3 – may have had second thoughts.

But England lost Dan Lawrence, Ollie Pope and the well-set Duckett cheaply to post 97-3 at lunch and justify De Silva's approach.

Lawrence (9) played at a wide ball from Lahiru Kumara that nipped away and caught the edge to keeper Nishan Madushka before England's stand-in captain Pope (1) top-edged a swipe off Fernando high into the air to give De Silva a simple catch.

Duckett scored at nearly a run a ball throughout and Root clipped his first delivery for four, before the impressive Kumara beat Root's outside edge and then rapped him on the pad, with a review for lbw turned down on umpire's call.

England otherwise appeared comfortable until Duckett (40) mis-hit a reverse sweep in spinner Prabath Jayasuriya's first over to Kumara at deep point.

Brook scored with relative ease after lunch but the return of Fernando from the Pavilion End, using the Lord's slope to take the ball into the right-hander, saw the end of Brook who reviewed in vain as England slipped to 130-4.

Sri Lanka initially kept Jamie Smith quiet but he and Root moved through the gears in a partnership of 62, which was ended when Smith nicked an expansive drive behind to Madushka.

England, who won the first Test of the three-match series by five wickets, will need Root to anchor their innings with a long tail to come.