Anderson had Sri Lanka in a vice-like grip as he dismissed Dusan Shanaka, the Test debutant and Rangana Herath, narrowly missing a hat-trick.
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Bairstow is arguably the form batsman in the Specsavers County Championship after scores of 198 and 246 at Headingley and an average of 88.83 in six knocks.
“It has been absolutely wonderful”, Bairstow told Sky Sports, with England now in a commanding position to go 1-0 up in this three-Test series.
Stuart Broad then rattled the Sri Lanka top-order. Kusal Mendis, like Karunaratne, fell for a duck when he edged Broad and gave Bairstow his third routine catch of the innings.
From the moment Sri Lanka won the toss and asked England to bat, Cook’s pursuit of the 36 runs he needed to become the first Englishman to reach 10,000 in Tests became the overarching narrative. Mathews considered reviewing the decision but eventually decided against it and walked off. Replays suggested that may not have been a wise thing to do as the impact of the ball hitting his pad was clearly outside the line.
However, in the 27th over, Anderson trapped Mathews lbw, to move to the sixth position in the list of highest wicket-takers in Test cricket, going past India’s Kapil Dev.
Ben Stokes’ attempt to counter-attack brought three boundaries in nine balls, and ended there when he chipped an easy catch to mid-on off Pradeep.
“Me and Stuart have just had a chat and said it has taken us nine years to realise we are bowling at the wrong ends here”, said Anderson, who bowled exclusively from the Rugby Stand End, while Broad came down the hill from the direction of Kirkstall Lane.
Broad then removed Dushmatha Chameera and Thirimanne, and Anderson returned to grab the last wicket of Eranga, caught down the legside by Bairstow.
Anderson completed his 19th five-wicket haul in Test cricket.
Anderson, buoyed by record-breaking feat, got the ball to curl in and away from the batsmen who were clearly befuddled by his art.
“He is one of the key bowlers, and obviously we’ll miss him”, said Silva ahead of the three-Test series.
Alex Hales was 71 not out, with Bairstow unbeaten on 54.
Hales and Bairstow, dropped on 70, extended their overnight partnership to 141.
England captain Alastair Cook subsequently enforced the follow on and although England were unable to take another wicket before play was stopped due to bad light, they will be confident of sealing a one-sided victory at some stage on day three.
John Bairstow cracked a solid half-century to revive England’s innings after an early fall.
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Bairstow, 26, played the most eye-catching innings of all, reaching the second Test century of his career from 145 balls.
