Firstly Moeen, aided by some truly very bad fielding and some lacklustre captaincy, ran Sri Lanka ragged with his second Test century and first since he nearly denied Angelo Mathews a famous series victory two years ago.
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Sri Lanka’s first-innings batting raised questions over whether a schedule with just two warm-up fixtures against Second Division county sides was sufficient preparation for a Test campaign early in an English season.
A belated Sri Lanka fightback delayed England’s victory push on the third day of the second Test.
England had a strong first day after winning the toss and electing to bat first, and Sri Lanka will need to turn things around early on Day 2.
Captain Mathews’ aggressive 80-run salvo was the highlight for the visitors, who restored some pride after low scores of 91, 119 and 101 in three innings so far.
At lunch Kaushal Silva was unbeaten on 23 and Kusal Mendis was on 8.
Asked if he felt backed by the England management, given they may opt to take a look at the uncapped Jake Ball in what is expected to be a dead rubber third Test at Lord’s next week, Finn replied: “Everyone in the dressing room backs each other”.
A breezy 26 from Dimuth Karunaratne set the tone as, together with Silva, the openers put on 38 before Chris Woakes pushed a ball across the left-hander who edged a catch to Joe Root.
Moeen’s century, his second Test hundred, was the cornerstone of England’s 498 for nine declared.
It was reward for a hard-working spell, and England’s collective efforts, as Sri Lanka at last produced a worthwhile rearguard after collapses here and at Headingley last week.
Broad dismissed Suranga Lakmal in the first over of the day as the number ten could only fend an edge through to Jonny Bairstow behind the stumps.
A direct hit from Moeen Ali would then have left Sri Lanka short of three figures, Nuwan Pradeep well short of his ground trying to scamper a single to cover.
Eight wickets by the close, with three each for Woakes and Stuart Broad, had been like taking candy from kids from Kandy, and left the follow-on mark of 299 appear a -distant dot on the horizon for a demoralised and outclassed team. Karunaratne was the first to fall when Woakes had him caught at second slip.
First he claimed the big wicket of Mathews, who wasted yet another review in the process, before he removed Mendis, to a brute of a delivery that took the shoulder of the bat, and Sirawardana in the same over.
Dinesh Chandimal and Milinda Siriwardana survived the remaining 20 overs of the day as the home attack were at long last made to work much harder than previously.
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Mo could mow to his heart’s content. After his fifty his next 100 runs took only 84 balls as he climbed into Sri Lankan spinners, rifling 17 fours and two sixes.
