May 18, 2002	Saturday	Rabi-ul-Awwal 5, 1423

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LONDON, May 17: Sri Lanka, fired by Marvan Atapattu’s 185, amassed 555 for eight in the first Test against England before snapping up a quick wicket Friday to leave the home side facing a marathon rearguard action to save the match.

Sri Lanka, ranked third in the world and chasing a 10th Test win in a row, left England with eight overs to negotiate after the declaration before removing Marcus Trescothick for 13 just before the close. England ended the second day on 27 for one.

The Sri Lanka’s innings, however, lost all impetus after the home side’s all-seam attack, hammered to all parts of Lord’s for most of the first two days, took three wickets for 13 runs either side of tea.

Sri Lanka stuttered from 492 for four to 505 for seven and then crawled their way to the declaration, leaving their bowlers with a chance to attack England’s top order before the close.

It was the eighth time in their last 10 Tests that Sri Lanka have passed 500 in their first innings.

England now face a long battle to avoid defeat, although a fine batting strip and the absence of Sri Lanka’s injured off- spinner Muttiah Muralitharan suggest they could yet force a stalemate in the first match of the three-Test series.

Atapattu, 133 overnight out of a total of 314 for three, added 52 more runs before, hurried by swing bowler Dominic Cork, he hooked the ball straight to Trescothick at fine leg to make it 407 for four just before lunch.

He fell just short of a sixth Test double century after eight-and-a-quarter hours at the crease, during which he faced 351 balls and hit 96 in fours.

Russel Arnold (50) and de Silva, on 88 and set to become the third century-maker of the innings, were then both dismissed with the score on 492, soon to be followed by Chaminda Vaas, giving Cork his third wicket and Trescothick his fourth catch of the innings.