Joe Root scores record 34th Test century as England set Sri Lanka target of 483 in 2nd Test

Joe Root's record-breaking 34th test century leads England to set Sri Lanka a massive target at Lord's.

Joe Root hit a record 34th test century for England on Saturday as the home side set Sri Lanka a huge target of 483 to win the second Test at Lord's and level the three-match series.

England were all out for 251 on the third day, Root making 103 following his knock of 143 in the first innings.

That took the Yorkshireman past the 33 Test hundreds scored by Alastair Cook to make Root England's greatest centurion in the game's longest format.

Sri Lanka have a massive task ahead of them if they are to avoid going 2-0 down in the series. The highest successful run chase in international test cricket is the 418 the West Indies chased down to beat Australia in 2003.

England built steadily on their 231-run lead from the first innings in the morning, playing under lights on a gloomy day in north London. They lost wickets steadily, with Ben Duckett, captain Ollie Pope and Harry Brook falling before the lunch interval.

Duckett (24) was dismissed with a fine two-man catch off Milan Rathnayake, getting a thick edge on the ball that Nishan Madushka at gully dived for but could only parry into the air for Angelo Mathews at second slip to grab.

Pope (17) trudged back to the pavilion not long after Duckett, having stepped back and slashed a ball from Asitha Fernando sailing into the air towards deep backward point and into the hands of Prabath Jayasuriya.