Srilanka stretch lead toward 300

Lunch Sri Lanka 318 and 151 for 8 (Prasanna Jayawardene 23*, Welegedara 6*, Swann 6-68) lead England 193 by 276 runs
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	Dinesh Chandimal made 31 before he was out to a rash shot © Getty Images Enlarge
Related Links Matches: Sri Lanka v England at Galle Series/Tournaments: England tour of Sri Lanka Teams: England | Sri Lanka

England will have to achieve a record fourth-innings score if they are to win the first Test of the series against Sri Lanka in Galle. No team has scored more than 253 in the fourth innings of any of the 18 previous Tests on this ground but England's batsmen - who have been dismissed for under 260 in six of their last seven innings - may need to make considerably more if they are to avoid a fourth successive Test defeat. It will provide little comfort for them to know that the highest successful fourth innings chase at the ground is just 96.

That England have any chance at all is largely due to the performance of their bowlers. Graeme Swann, who came into this Test under just a little bit of pressure, completed the 12th five-wicket haul of his Test career - and his eighth outside the UK - as England claimed three wickets before lunch on the third day. Sri Lanka stretched their lead by 67 runs to 276, however, and with two wickets in hand, retained hopes of pushing the target above 300.

England opened with Swann and James Anderson on the third morning but, after just three overs of seam, Monty Panesar replaced Anderson and provided an all spin attack. Swann was the more dangerous of the two, gaining drift from the breeze and making the ball dip and turn.

The pitch continued to assist the spinners, but it had not yet deteriorated into the minefield that some predicted. While that may have frustrated England's bowlers in the morning, it may also offer their batsmen hope for the fourth innings. This is a testing surface, certainly, but it is far from unplayable.

Suraj Randiv and Dinesh Chandimal, resuming on 84 for 5, added another 30 runs to the Sri Lankan total before Chandimal, for the second time in the match, surrendered his wicket with an intemperate slog. Swann, now bowling round the wicket, trapped Randiv - lunging forward and beaten by turn - lbw before Rangana Herath missed an ugly heave across the line and was bowled.

Prasanna Jayawardene and Chanaka Welegedara took the hosts to lunch without further loss. The pair had added 24 by the interval, with Jayawardene taking the lead and Welegedara providing sensible support in an obdurate innings. It was a partnership that may well prove to have hammered another nail in the coffin of England's hopes.