COMPO ON THE ROPES

NICK COMPTON is set to be axed by England amid another dismal failure after stepping up the order to cover crocked captain Alastair Cook.

Cook was taken to hospital after a blow to his left knee from a shot from Sir Lankan Kusal Perera.

Compton (above) shifted up one place but another flop left him with just 51 runs in the series. By the close of the third day England were 109-4 in their second dig, a lead of 237, with Alex Hales on 41 not out.

Assistant coach Paul Farbrace said of Compton: “It has been a tough series for him. He knows that and he does not need any of us to sit down and tell him. He needs to score runs.”

Compton walked off shaking his head after nicking one behind off Shaminda Eranga for 19 and must know his number is up.

England will wait until this morning to see if Cook is ready to bat but they may have enough runs by then not to risk him.

Stand-in captain Joe Root got a brute from Nuwan Pradeep that virtually rolled along the ground and bowled him for four.

James Vince went next ball and England were on the skids at three down and 178 ahead.

But Hales and Jonny Bairstow steadied the ship and gave their skipper more time to rest up before Bairstow was bowled for 32.

England bowlers got their act together in the morning session, with Chris Woakes (below) getting Kusal Mendis out leg before with his first ball of the day, then Stuart Broad had top scorer Kaushal Silva caught behind for 79. Steve Finn finished with 3-59 and Woakes 3-31, while Jimmy Anderson ended his recent drought with his first Lord’s wickets for a year as the tourists were bowled out for 288.