Lanka in dire straits

Durham, may 28

Chris Woakes compounded Sri Lanka's misery in the second Test following a hundred by Moeen Ali as England closed in on a series-clinching win at the Riverside today.

At stumps on the second day, Sri Lanka had collapsed to 91/8, a huge deficit of 407 runs, after Ali's Test-best 155 not out had propelled England to 498 for nine declared.

Woakes, only playing in this match because fellow seam-bowling all-rounder Ben Stokes was injured, took three wickets for five runs in 13 balls to reduce Sri Lanka to 67 for six.

Rangana Herath (12) gamely resisted for over an hour before fending Stuart Broad to gully. Three balls later, Broad dismissed Shaminda Eranga when a leaping James Vince at third slip parried the ball before second slip Joe Root clutched the rebound. Lahiru Thirimanne was 12 not out at the close and Suranga Lakmal unbeaten on nought. England are now looking at their second innings victory.

Brief scores: England: 498/9 dec (Moeen 155*, Hales 83, Root 50, Pradeep 4/107); Sri Lanka: 90/8 (Woakes 3/9, Broad 3/35). — Reuters