Root’s century drought ends

Galle (Sri Lanka), Jan. 15: England captain Joe Root hit an unbeaten 168 as his side built up a lead of 185 over Sri Lanka on a rainhit second day of the opening Test.

England were 320 for four when rain halted play in Galle. Root and Dan Lawrence, who scored 73 on his Test debut, built a 173-run partnership after the tourists resumed the day on 127-2.

Root, who is batting with Jos Buttler (7), hit his 18th Test ton and kept up the pressure on the home bowlers despite losing overnight partner Jonny Bairstow for 47 early in the day.

After a full opening day in the empty stadium in Galle, rain started falling just before the start of the second day and wiped out the final session.

Root started the day on 66 and passed 100 soon after lunch with a single off Dilruwan Perera. He raised his bat and hugged Lawrence.

It was the star batsman’s highest Test score in more than a year after going through 2020 without a century and dropping out of the world top 10 batsmen.

Lawrence, 23, stood firm with his captain, displaying confidence against the spinners as he brought up his fifty in 95 balls with five fours and one six.

Lawrence, who plays for English county Essex, survived two dropped catches on 60 and 68 and finally fell to Perera.

Earlier Bairstow became left-arm spinner Lasith Embuldeniya’s third victim, caught at gully. The wicket ended a 114-run third-wicket stand for the tourists. Off-spinner Dom Bess returned career-best figures of 5-30 to help skittle Sri Lanka out for 135 — the lowest first-innings score at the venue — in two sessions on Thursday after the hosts elected to bat.

Brief scores: Sri Lanka 135 vs England 320/4 (J. Root 168 batting, Lawrence 73, Embuldeniya 3/131).