Third test - day two (close)

England 336 & 3-0 lead Sri Lanka 240 by 99 runs

ADIL Rashid and Ben Stokes shone with the ball as England seized control of the third Test against Sri Lanka in Colombo to make a 3-0 series whitewash a distinct possibility.

The hosts were cruising at 173-1 – Somerset’s Jack Leach taking the early wicket of Danushka Gunathilaka – in response to England’s 336 all out, but Rashid (5-49) and Stokes (3-30) tore through the middle and lower order.

Sri Lanka lost their last nine wickets for just 67 runs to hand England an unexpectedly healthy first innings lead of 96, which they extended by three in the four overs possible before the close.

Leach may have been overshadowed by Rashid but he still returned tidy figures, ending with 1-59 from 18 largely controlled overs having opened the bowling alongside Stuart Broad.

Earlier in the day, he was the last man out having made two coming in at number 11 – Leach has now batted at both ends of England’s batting order in the space of two Tests.

With spin playing a prominent role again, Leach will play a pivotal role in Sri Lanka’s second innings as he looks to replicate his five-wicket haul in the second Test.