2nd Test: Alex Hales, Joe Root combine to put England in control

Opener Alex Hales and Joe Root notched up their respective fifties to put England in a commanding position against Sri Lanka at stumps on the opening day of the second Test at the Riverside Ground in Durham on 27 May.

Opting to bat first, skipper Alastair Cook failed to reach 10,000-run Test milestone as he fell just five runs short of the landmark figure after being dismissed for mere 15 runs.

Cook started his innings knowing he needed just 20 runs to become the first England batsman and only 12th in history to reach the milestone.

Hales (83), along with Root (80), then steadied his side's innings as the duo went on to stitch a 96-run partnership for the third wicket.

Meanwhile, Jonny Bairstow fell just two runs short of a half-century and contributed a modest 48 runs off 57 balls.

For Lanka, Nuwan Pradeep scalped three wickets while Milinda Siriwardana and Suranga Lakmal bagged two and a wicket respectively.

At stumps, England were at 310-6. Moeen Ali and Chris Woakes will now resume the innings on 28 May at their respective scores of 28 and eight.

England are currently leading 1-0 in the three-match Test series after winning the first match by an innings and 88 runs at Headingley in Leeds.

-ANI