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Summary Alastair Cook was the only England batsman to fall in the first session of the third day.
Alastair Cook narrowly missed a century and Jonathan Trott made a half-century as the pair led England to a dominant position in the second cricket test, reaching 239 for two at lunch on the third day.The tourists are trailing by just 36 runs in the first innings with eight wickets in hand after dismissing Sri Lanka for 275.Resuming Thursday at 154-1, Englands overnight pair extended their partnership to 91, building on the solid start of 122 runs by the openers, before Tillakaratne Dilshan (2-27) had Cook caught at slip by captain Mahela Jayawardene for 94.Cook faced 278 balls and hit nine boundaries.Trott was unbeaten on 62, facing 122 balls and hitting seven boundaries. Kevin Pietersen was not out on 18 at the interval.England captain Andrew Staruss was dismissed for 61 on Tuesday.The Sri Lankan bowlers toiled hard for most of the session without a wicket but Jayawardenes decision to bowl offspinner Dilshan with a relatively new ball produced immediate results.England is in a position to push for the series-equaling victory it needs to retain No. 1 spot in the test rankings.
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