Smith, batting at No 6 because of the absence of injured skipper Ben Stokes, registered his third half-century in 4 Take a look at appearances.
The 24-year-old wicketkeeper showcased his capacity to assist established batsmen and keep the scoring fee whereas batting with the tail.
He shared partnerships of 62 with Harry Brook (56) and 52 with Chris Woakes (25) earlier than each have been dismissed by left-arm spinner Prabath Jayasuriya, who returned figures of 2-58 in 21 overs.
England discovered themselves in bother at 67-Three within the 15th over after the morning session was washed out, with paceman Asitha Fernando claiming 3-68 in 14 overs.
Sri Lanka had skilled an identical collapse on Wednesday, dropping their first three wickets for no runs in 10 balls earlier than being bowled out for 236.
Captain Dhananjaya de Silva top-scored with 74, whereas debutant Milan Rathnayake set a brand new report for the best rating by a No 9 batsman on debut together with his 72.
Dan Lawrence, recalled to open rather than the injured Zak Crawley, efficiently reviewed an lbw resolution in opposition to him off Asitha Fernando when on 10.
Nevertheless, two balls later, the paceman trapped Ben Duckett lbw for 18, with Sri Lanka overturning the unique not out resolution.
– POPE BOWLED –
Asitha Fernando’s glorious bowling efficiency continued as he dismissed Ollie Pope, who was captaining England for the primary time as a consequence of Stokes’ torn hamstring, for simply six runs with a ball that nipped again by means of the hole between bat and pad.
Regardless of the setback, Lawrence seemed to be in good type till he edged a ball angled throughout him from left-arm seamer Vishwa Fernando to the diving wicketkeeper Dinesh Chandimal when he was on 30.
Pope’s dismissal introduced Root to the crease, and the previous England captain boasted a formidable report in opposition to Sri Lanka, having scored greater than 1,000 runs in 11 earlier Exams at a median of practically 60, together with 4 centuries.
Nevertheless, Asitha Fernando ended a promising partnership of 58 when Root, who had scored a sometimes elegant 42, inside-edged an supposed drive, and Chandimal dived ahead to take a tremendous low catch.
Smith, the brand new batsman, confidently superior down the pitch to drive Jayasuriya for six, and Brook accomplished a fifty off simply 59 balls.
On the identical floor the place Shane Warne bowled Mike Gatting with the ‘Ball of the Century’ in 1993, Jayasuriya made a bid for the modern-day equal by dismissing Brook in beautiful trend. The 25-year-old rising star had added simply three runs to his tea rating of 53 not out when he was turned inside out by a ball from left-armer Jayasuriya that dipped in on the road of center and leg stumps earlier than spinning sharply and bouncing to clip the highest of off stump.
Brook’s dismissal left England at 187-5, and Woakes fell in an identical method when he was clear bowled by a faster Jayasuriya supply that angled in and spun considerably away from the right-hander.
