Day Three: England vs Sri Lanka, Third Test

Well, I was only 97 runs out when predicting a Strauss century. Anyway, day three started like pretty much every other day has in this series, with a delay and the pitch being covered. Play started at 11:20 and went through uninterrupted until lunch at 1. Further rain delays in the afternoon caused Batman and Robin to invade the pitch and meant England only had five overs to face in the afternoon session. The evening session proved the most productive though, with Pietersen, Cook and Bell adding runs for England and helping them to an 11 run lead at the close. Here's day three from the Rose Bowl.

England pick up the last Sri Lankan wicket. 

Welegedara slaps a Broad delivery straight to Eoin Morgan.

Who takes the catch above his head.

Sri Lanka are 184 all out and now it's Strauss and Cook's turn to try and get some runs.

Strauss gets off the mark with a couple but soon finds himself falling to his tormentor from the Lord's Test of Welegedara.

He plays at a delivery that he could comfortably leave and England are 4-1.

Strauss leaves the field, annoyed with himself. With one Middlesex County Championship match until  the first Test against India, Zaheer Khan must be getting pretty excited over in India.

In comes Jonathan Trott, fresh off a brisk innings at Lord's. However, he succumbs to either a carefully crafted plan or just plain luck as he swishes at one outside his off stump.

He's caught behind, leaving England on 14-2. 

The next man in is Kevin Pietersen, returning to the ground of the county he left in poor circumstances. (Apologies for the dodgy camera work, my flatmate walked in at the time)

Down at the other end, Cook, the man who has scored over 1000 runs since his torrid 2010 summer, hits a four off Fernando to leave England 54-2 at lunch.

Unfortunately over lunch the rain comes down, delaying the afternoon session. 

Only 5 overs are possible in the afternoon session, and England almost lose a wicket. Cook edges a Welegedara delivery...

But it drops short of the slips. 

Strauss must've been sat in the dressing room crying.

Cook brings up the 50 partnership off Fernando with a cut for four. 

And then the rain returns, forcing at least a two hour delay for the patient crowd.

The England team, meanwhile, decide to play a bit of hide and seek. 

(Yeah, my carpet could do with a hoover, I know...)

Swanny decides to get better acquainted with the local sheep population.

How many members of the England team does it take to complete a crossword?

Pietersen, playing some shots that will surely silence his critics and leave all the pressure on his captain, plays a superb straight drive off Welegedara.

Cook brings up his 50 off Fernando with a single.

And the very next ball, Pietersen does the same.

In a surprise to everyone, Cook chases a wide one outside off stump off of Fernando...

And is caught by Samaraweera. England are 120-3. 

Pietersen though carries on playing his shots. He and Bell begin to build another partnership. He hits a four off of Perara with a straight drive.

However, in search of a deserved century at his old home ground, Pietersen ends up edging one behind. He thought it was a half volley and there to be hit. 

He's caught by The Other Jayawardene and England are 191-4.

James Anderson comes in as night watch man and he survives the remainder of the day to leave England on 195-4 and 11 runs ahead.

Rain, rain go away, come back again on a non-cricket day.