England stumble against Sri Lanka after Kamindu Mendis's hundred heroics

England were once again left looking to star batsman Joe Root after losing early wickets in their run-chase for victory in the first Test against Sri Lanka at Old Trafford on Saturday.

Set 205 to win, England were 82-3 in their second innings at tea on the fourth day, still requiring 123 more runs to go 1-0 up in this three-match series after Kamindu Mendis's brilliant century kept a gutsy Sri Lanka in the game.

Root was 13 not out and Yorkshire team-mate Harry Brook, fresh from a first-innings fifty, unbeaten on six.

England opener Ben Duckett, almost out for two, fell for 11 when caught behind by stand-in wicketkeeper Kusal Mendis, deputising for the injured Dinesh Chandimal, off Asitha Fernando.

And Root came in at 56-2 after stand-in England captain Ollie Pope, leading the side for the first time after Ben Stokes was ruled out with a torn hamstring, was out for six for the second time in the match when he spooned an attempted reverse sweep off left-arm spinner Prabath Jayasuriya to slip.

Dan Lawrence, recalled to open after Zak Crawley was ruled out with a broken finger, fell for 34 when he was lbw to an off-cutter from debutant paceman Milan Rathnayake, a decision upheld on umpire's call.

Brook was almost out for six when diving substitute fielder Ramesh Mendis just failed to hold what would have been a spectacular one-handed diving catch at backward square leg following a sweep off the dangerous Jayasuriya. 

 Kamindu Mendis in command 

Earlier, Kamindu Mendis scored his third hundred in just four Tests as he made 113 in a second-innings total of 326, having come in with Sri Lanka in trouble at 95-4.

Together with Chandimal (79), he shared a seventh-wicket stand of 117 in 30 overs.

England suffered a setback before play started Saturday when express quick Mark Wood was ruled out with a thigh injury suffered while bowling late on Friday.

Sri Lanka resumed on 204-6, just 82 runs ahead, after Jamie Smith's maiden Test century had been the cornerstone of England's first-innings 358.

Kamindu Mendis, dropped on 39, was 56 not out and Chandimal 20 not out.

Kamindu Mendis was quickly into his stride on Saturday, having missed Sri Lanka's lone warm-up match against the second-string England Lions at Worcester last week after visa problems delayed his entry into the UK,

The 25-year-old left-hander, drove fast bowler Gus Atkinson through the covers and pulled him behind square for fours off successive deliveries.

Chandimal, meanwhile, completed a 73-ball fifty after resuming his innings following a pain-killing injection, having retired hurt on 10 when struck on the thumb by Wood.

The seventh-wicket duo posed increasing problems for Pope, who took the new ball as soon as he could, with Sri Lanka 284-6 off 80 overs and Mendis unbeaten on 95.

Kamindu Mendis promptly took two off Chris Woakes before a well-struck cut off the seamer -- his 12th four in 167 balls also including a six -- saw him to a well-deserved century.

Kamindu Mendis struck Atkinson for three fours in the first over after lunch to take Sri Lanka past 300, saving the best for last with a flashing cover drive.

But the Surrey quick had his revenge when, bowling from around the wicket, a ball angled in cut away off the pitch to take Kamindu Mendis's outside edge, with Root holding a low catch at slip.

His dismissal sparked a collapse that saw Sri Lanka lose their final four wickets for 19 runs, with Chandimal the last man dismissed when he holed out off Matthew Potts.