Sri Lanka on verge of victory in England Test

The 34-year-old followed his six-wicket haul in the first innings with another fantastic display as England, set a stiff target of 340, crumbled to 259-8 by tea on the fourth day at the Galle International Stadium.

Tea was taken at the fall of Graeme Swann’s wicket, leaving Stuart Broad unbeaten on five and the world’s number one Test side still needing 81 runs with two wickets in hand on a wearing pitch.

England’s hopes of conjuring a magical win by recording their highest successful fourth-innings chase nose-dived when Jonathan Trott was dismissed just before tea after making a solid 112.

Trott hit 10 boundaries in his seventh Test century when he flicked off-spinner Suraj Randiv and was snapped up by a diving Tillakaratne Dilshan at backward short-leg.

Trott had kept England afloat after Herath failed to take a return catch when the batsman was on 62 in the morning session.

England’s most successful fourth-innings chase came way back in 1928 when they made 332-7 to defeat Australia in Melbourne.

Wicket-keeper Matt Prior helped Trott add 81 for the fifth wicket before he was dismissed by Herath for 41 as Lahiru Thirimanne clung on to a full-blooded sweep at forward short-leg.

Debutant Samit Patel made nine when his uppish drive off Herath was caught by Dilshan at short cover.

England, who will slip to number two behind South Africa if they lose the two-Test series, lost Kevin Pietersen in the day’s third over after just seven runs had been added to the overnight score of 111-2.

Pietersen, on 30, attempted to on-drive spinner Randiv and only managed to spoon an easy catch to Sri Lankan captain Mahela Jayawardene at short mid-wicket.

The sloppy dismissal ended a valuable 70-run partnership for the third wicket with Trott after England had been reduced to 48-2 late on Wednesday afternoon.

Accurate Sri Lanka bowling tied down the tourists to just 34 runs from 15 overs in the first hour of play, 22 of them coming from the bat of Trott.

Bell, who top-scored with 52 in the first innings, missed a sweep shot off Herath and was given out leg-before by umpire Rod Tucker.

Bell immediately asked for a review, but he did not earn a reprieve from TV umpire Bruce Oxenford and England slipped to 152-4.

England played positively after lunch, scoring 51 runs from 15 overs as Sri Lanka handed Herath the new ball that was claimed as soon as it was due in the 81st over.

The second and final Test will be played at the P. Sara Oval in Colombo from April 3.