England vs Sri Lanka: Jamie Smith and Chris Woakes set up victory push

England are closing in on victory over Sri Lanka after an eventful third day of the first Test at Emirates Old Trafford.

The tourists closed on 204-6 in their second innings, only 82 ahead at the end of Friday that began with England’s Jamie Smith completing his maiden Test century.

Sri Lanka were in danger of imploding when captain Dhananjaya de Silva was out to Matthew Potts. With Dinesh Chandimal having an X-ray on his thumb after being pinned by Mark Wood, the tourists were effectively 95-5 in their second innings, still 27 adrift.

But Angelo Mathews showed some much-needed defiance, dragging Sri Lanka into the lead with 65 in a stand of 78 with Kamindu Mendis.

Crucially, England persuaded the umpires to change the ball and got a replacement that swung, with Potts having chances dropped off both Mathews and Kamindu.

Mathews eventually poked Chris Woakes to Potts at point and though England will have been concerned by Wood leaving the field midway through an over, his replacement Joe Root needed only two balls to induce a wild hack from Milan Rathnayake.

Sri Lanka were at least boosted by the news that Chandimal has avoided a fracture and he returned to move to 20 not out, alongside Kamindu unbeaten on an impressive 56.

Earlier, wicketkeeper Smith’s 111 lifted England to 358 and a first-innings lead of 122.