England's effort in the field looked more and more tired, which is quite understandable, and they needed the encouragement of the wicket they took after drinks - Aravinda de Silva for 40.

Arnold's hundred came from 211 balls with 11 fours, but the merit of his innings was his occupation of the crease. He squeezed the vitality out of the England attack, with his phlegmatic approach, and, at the same time, bolstered Sri Lanka's chances of achieving the draw for which they have worked so hard. England's hopes now rest with the new ball which becomes available directly after the interval.

De Silva had taken an altogether more adventurous approach to the same task as Arnold. He was playing his shots and moving easily to a 50 when his innings was cut short by a magnificent catch at deep backward square leg by Michael Vaughan. De Silva hooked Alex Tudor and Vaughan had to throw himself forward towards the ball to grasp it just inches off the turf.

Ashley Giles, the left-arm spinner who is receiving treatment for a stiff back, was the man who took the wicket. He got a ball to turn and, more significantly, bounce for that was what beat the defensive push and caused Jayawardene to edge to slip where Nasser Hussain took the catch.

Giles was withdrawn from the attack, presumably to rest his back, but after the new batsman, Aravinda de Silva, had despatched the pace bowlers to the boundary with total ease, the spinner was reintroduced at the Warwick Road end. That did not inhibit de Silva, who was playing the way he knows best – unfurling an array of quality strokes. At the other end, Russel Arnold continued to play an innings of the utmost authority, taking his drink on 86 not out.

Russel Arnold added a second fifty to his match tally, batting with great assurance to move past the milestone from exactly one hundred balls with five boundaries. He had put on 66 with Sangakkara before his partner fell lbw to Alex Tudor, bowling right arm over the wicket. Television replays clearly showed that the ball had pitched well outside the left-handed batsman's leg stump. It was a poor decision from the man who is now the world's most experienced Test umpire, Steve Bucknor.

The umpire at the other end, Dave Orchard, retrieved some credibility for the officials by calling a no ball from point when Jayawardene flicked Andrew Flintoff to Matthew Hoggard at deep backward square leg. Orchard had noticed that England had posted a fine leg, Hoggard and a close catcher behind square, so the celebrations were cut short when the umpire held out an arm and called no ball.

There will no doubt be an interesting discussion in the England dressing room as to who was responsible, for the bowlers had been finding it hard enough to take wickets without giving reprieves to the batsmen.

The not out batsmen overnight, Russel Arnold and Kumar Sangakkara, batted with hreat resolve, moving carefully past a fifty partnership. Arnold was underlining his success as an opener in this match by going towards his second fifty, following 62 in the first innings.

It could be said that the England bowlers helped the Sri Lankans' cause by bowling too short. It is a strategy that might well bring success if the batsmen are going for their shots, but when they are not it reduces the percentage of likely wicket-taking deliveries. Matthew Hoggard was an honourable exception, pitching the ball up more and forcing the batsmen to play and so looked most likely to effect a breakthrough.

Ashley Giles began what is likely to be a long spell from the Warwick Road end as Sri Lanka moved to 102 for one off 30 overs at drinks.