Sri Lanka slumps to 67-6 in 2nd innings on day 4 vs England

 England moved into a strong position to sweep the two-test series against Sri Lanka after spinners Jack Leach and Dom Bess claimed three wickets each in a wild morning session Monday.

England resumed at 339-9 on day four and added only five runs before being dismissed, giving Sri Lanka a 37-run first-innings lead. But far from enhancing the advantage, Sri Lanka’s top order was skittled and the home team reached lunch at 67-6, an overall lead of 104 runs.

The England spinners went wicketless in the first innings but made amends early in the second, with the pitch offering plenty of turn and bounce. Spin was introduced early in the innings with Bess operating from the Dutch Fort End after just four overs of the seam.

Leach started from the City End and made his presence felt immediately by trapping Kusal Perera leg before wicket for 14. Bess then bowled into the rough and had Oshada Fernando (3) caught bat-pad by Zak Crawley at forwarding short leg. Lahiru Thirimanne scored 13 before he flicked a Leach delivery into Crawley’s hands at short leg and the slide got worse, with three wickets falling for 10 runs within 13 deliveries.

Angelo Mathews (5), who scored a century in the first innings, was bowled attempting a sweep to a ball from Bess which pitched outside off stump and turned sharply.

Stand-in captain Dinesh Chandimal had a failure immediately after launching Leach for four to the mid-wicket boundary. He tried to clear mid-on from the next delivery, but didn’t get the elevation and was well caught by the 38-year-old Jimmy Anderson in the outfield. Niroshan Dickwella, who earned much admiration for his career-best 92 in the first innings, was out for seven driving straight into the hands of Daniel Lawrence in the covers.

England was in control of the first session, putting Sri Lanka in danger of being bowled out for their lowest total against England. That mark was 81, set at the Sinhalese Sports Club in Colombo in 2001. England captain Joe Root's 186 helped England narrow in on Sri Lanka's first-innings total before was run out in the last over on day three.

Root’s 309-ball was knock ended when he attempted to flick Dilruwan Perera to mid-wicket butOshada Fernando grabbed the thick edge at short leg on the bounce. Root had taken a few steps out of the crease and, sensing an opportunity, Fernando threw the stumps down as a tired Root’s diving effort couldn’t save him.

Sri Lankan left-arm spinner Lasith Embuldeniya finished with 7-137 from 42 overs.