Cricket: England boosted by double strike; THIRD TEST: Run-out and maiden wicket for Bopara as tourists bid for crucial victory.

Byline: Richard Gibson in Galle

ENGLAND finally ended their frustrating wait for a second-day wicket in Galle against Sri Lanka - and were soon celebrating another.

Alastair Cook's freeze-frame run-out of Tillakaratne Dilshan for 84 halted a 149-run stand for the fifth wicket after a day of near-misses in the Third and final Test.

The dismissal, in the 45th over of the day, came as a result of Dilshan attempting to steal the single which would have taken Mahela Jayawardene to a 21st Test hundred.

Jayawardene dropped the ball into the off-side and Dilshan called his partner for a run, only for Cook to pounce from gully and narrowly defeat a despairing dive from the batsman.

Cook's Essex colleague Ravi Bopara was celebrating a maiden Test victim three balls later when Prasanna Jayawardene edged behind, and at tea Sri Lanka were 287 for six.

In truth, captain Jayawardene and Dilshan led charmed lives after play began 90 minutes late due to heavy rain.

It left England's frontline pace attack luckless and wicketless despite creating numerous chances either side of taking the new ball.

Michael Vaughan's team did not help themselves with lapses of concentration and they were also left to rue another umpiring mistake by Australian Daryl Harper.

Wicketkeeper Matt Prior pouched a fine diving catch down the leg-side off a flick by Dilshan, off Matthew Hoggard, to spark jubilant appeals from the England fielders.

But Harper remained unmoved and Dilshan's reprieve on 64 followed other narrow escapes.

Ryan Sidebottom had two lbw shouts turned down either side of Dilshan Chinese-cutting a seventh four, which brought up an 81-ball 50, in the first over of the new ball.

Then, in his next over, Sidebottom found the edge of Dilshan's bat only for Prior to fluff the chance, sprawling in front of first slip Ian Bell.

Needing to make early inroads to enhance their bid to square the series, England were initially hampered by overnight rain and then by a failure to break the fifth-wicket stand.

Only one opportunity came their way in the opening three quarters of an hour, following an 11am beginning - when Cook got his hands on a wild slash to gully by Dilshan off left-armer Sidebottom.

Then, shortly before lunch, Jayawardene on 66 was drawn into another false stroke only for wicketkeeper Prior to withdraw his glove as the ball passed low to his right, on its way for four.

Time is not on England's side as they attempt to address a 1-0 deficit and avoid slipping to fifth in the world rankings.

CAPTION(S):

DRIVING FORCE... Tillakaratne Dilshan hits out as Sri Lanka take control today.