Liam Plunkett took two wickets as England at last made inroads into the Sri Lanka top order on the third day of the second Test at Headingley here today.
Sri Lanka were 99 for two in their second innings at tea, a deficit of nine run, after fast bowler Plunkett had removed openers Kaushal Silva (13) and Dimuth Karunaratne (45) on his Yorkshire home ground.
But, ominously for England, the old firm of Kumar Sangakkara -- 26 not out and looking to join the group of batsmen who've made a record seven successive Tests fifties -- and Mahela Jayawardene, three not out, were both undefeated.
Sri Lanka started the second session on 22 without loss.
Karunaratne, dropped by second slip Chris Jordan off James Anderson on four, was 16 not out and Silva six not out.
Anderson and Stuart Broad had too often bowled wastefully short before lunch, neither threatening the stumps nor the batsmen.
But Plunkett, who in the first innings had taken a Test-best five for 64, made the breakthrough England so badly needed.
With his eighth delivery Sunday, Plunkett was rewarded for pitching the ball up when he took Silva's outside edge and wicketkeeper Matt Prior held a comfortable catch.
Sri Lanka were now 40 for one.
Silva's exit brought in Sangakkara to form an all left-handed partnership with Karunaratne.
Sangakkara was quickly into his stride, going down on one knee to drive Plunkett to the cover boundary and flaying him through the offside for another four.
