Joe Root fell short of another double ton by 14 runs but his knock of 186 helped England stay on course against Sri Lanka on day three of the second Test at the Galle International Stadium on Sunday.
At stumps on day three, England's were 339/9, still trailing the hosts by 42 runs with Jack Leach batting at the crease on 0.
After the tea break, Dominic Bess provided the much-needed support to Root and the duo stood their ground, making Sri Lankan bowlers toil hard. Both batsmen stitched up an 81-run stand, but half-an-hour before the scheduled close of play, Embuldeniya dismissed Bess (32) and Mark Wood (1), reducing England to 337/8. In the last over of the day, Root (186) was sent back to the pavilion via run-out and the visitors concluded the day at 339/9.
During the course of his innings, Root surpassed Kevin Pietersen to become the fifth-highest run-scorer for England in Test matches. Of the nine England wickets that have fallen, seven have been taken by Lasith Embuldeniya.
Embuldeniya scalped the wickets of Dom Sibley, Zack Crawley, Jonny Bairstow, Dan Lawrence, Sam Curran Dominic Bess, and Mark Wood.
Earlier Root scored his second century in succession to keep England afloat on a difficult, turning wicket as they reached 252 for six in their first innings at tea.
Sam Curran (13) was out on the stroke of the interval.
Root followed up his brilliant 228 in the first match with a 19th Test century, the first time he has reached three figures in consecutive Tests in his career.
His innings has been built around the impressive use of the sweep shot, which he has waged to take the attack to the Sri Lanka bowlers.
England resumed the day on 98 for two having lost their openers cheaply for the third time in as many innings this series.
But Jonny Bairstow never looked settled and fell on 28, an inside edge onto his pad off the dangerous home spinner Lasith Embuldeniya (5-99) looping to Oshida Fernando at short leg.
Dan Lawrence was impressive on his debut in England’s seven-wicket win in the first Test but made just three as he edged Embuldeniya to Lahiru Thirimanne at slip.
At 132 for four, England were teetering, but Root and Jos Buttler (55) steadied the ship with a fifth-wicket stand of 97 before the latter tried a reverse sweep that went straight into his boot and bounced to short leg, providing a first Test wicket for debutant spinner Ramesh Mendis.
Curran was out in the final over of the session, Embuldeniya taking his fifth wicket, caught at slip.
Root failed to score a Test century in 2020, the first time in his career he went a calendar year without a ton, and his return to form will be welcome as England head into four Tests in India right after this series.
