England captain Root reprimanded on frustrating day in Pallekele

Sri Lanka has a 46-run lead against England after two days of the second Test in Pallekele, where Joe Root's dissent landed him in trouble.

England captain Joe Root has handed a reprimand and one demerit point following a hearing that took place after the day's play.

England captain Joe Root received the first demerit point of his career for breaching the ICC's code of conduct on a day when Sri Lanka claimed a 46-run lead in Pallekele .

Root was punished after he "appeared to show dissent" by shaking his head and kicking the ground in the 76th over of Sri Lanka's innings after umpire Marais Erasmus adjudged Dilruwan Perera was not out to a delivery from Moeen Ali.

Though Root pleaded not guilty, he was charged and handed a reprimand and one demerit point following a hearing that took place after the day's play.

It summed up a frustrating second day for England, which reduced Sri Lanka to 165-6 only for Roshen Silva's 85 to push them up to 336 in response to England's 290.

Nightwatchman Jack Leach was able to negotiate the one over prior to stumps without any trouble having earlier been the pick of the English bowlers with 3-70.

We trail by 46 runs after the first innings.

Scorecard: https://t.co/Am9XLIsFMD#SLvENGpic.twitter.com/QvNPzQMrkq

— England Cricket (@englandcricket) November 15, 2018

 

"We're a little bit disappointed that they got a 40-run lead," Leach told Sky Sports.

"At one point we felt like we could have a lead, or be level, so we're a little bit disappointed with that. But we know that if we bat well tomorrow then the pressure's on them.

"They're going to be batting last on it and they're 1-0 down [in the series] so we feel that we can definitely win. We've just got to execute our plans as individuals in the batting order and accumulate runs, take what's on offer and get a lead."

England was boosted by a five-run penalty during Sri Lanka's innings after Roshen was deemed to have deliberately run short at one end before returning to the other in an attempt to retain the strike.

Though it reduced its eventual first-innings lead, batsman Dimuth Karunaratne - who made 63 before being superbly run out by Ben Stokes - insisted it was not a big issue in the grand scheme of things.

"I don't think Roshen did it deliberately, he thought the ball had gone for four and he came back to his partner to give a high five," he explained.

"Those things can happen, it's part of the game and we don't blame him. We are not so worried about the five runs."