England remain on top against Sri Lanka despite another low score for Ollie Pope

Pope made it to double figures for the first time in four innings but was caught on the boundary for 17.

Ollie Pope’s bid to meet Sri Lanka’s short-ball tactic head-on backfired (Ben Whitley/PA) (PA Wire)

England grew their lead to 390 against Sri Lanka but Ollie Pope’s lean run as stand-in captain continued after he made a scratchy 17 on the third morning of the second Test.

While Pope made it to double figures for the first time in four innings since stepping up to lead England in Ben Stokes’ absence, his decision to meet Sri Lanka’s bumper ploy head-on backfired.

A premeditated hack from Asitha Fernando’s first ball found the lone fielder on the off-side boundary, although England are still in full control as they seek to move into an unassailable 2-0 series lead.

First-innings centurion Joe Root went to lunch unbeaten on 45 in England’s 159 for four, with Harry Brook contributing 37 off 36 deliveries in a run-a-ball stand of 58 with his fellow Yorkshireman.

Pope refused the follow-on and also declined a nightwatcher on Friday evening, and he and Ben Duckett resumed in full knowledge that England held the upper hand with a 256-run overnight lead.

Lahiru Kumara beat Pope between bat and pad in the first over of the day before Duckett was out for 24, slashing at Milan Rathnayake, with Nishan Madushka palming at gully to Angelo Mathews on the rebound.

Root edged between a vacant slip and gully for his first four while Pope, who weathered a blow to his right elbow from Kumara, seemed to be gaining fluency with his first four off his 29th ball.

It was a false dawn, though. While there could be no faulting Pope’s intent, his execution was well off as he telegraphed Sri Lanka spreading the field and directing a slashed cut to deep backward point.

Brook was given a life on nine after taking on Prabath Jayasuriya, with Madushka shelling a skier. Undeterred Brook got down on one knee again and went for the same shot, this time nailing a six.

Brook unfurled some lovely off-side drives but was unable to capitalise on the drop after holing out to deep midwicket as Jayasuriya finally had his man.

Root, who crunched two fours down the ground in Jayasuriya’s previous over, was happy to swim in Brook’s slipstream and did the same when Jamie Smith joined him at the crease. The wicketkeeper was unbeaten on a run-a-ball 23 at the end of the session.