England v Sri Lanka - Hosts may rue Jonny Bairstow's error with the gloves

The accolades were all Bairstow’s after the wicketkeeper-batsman consolidated the hundred he completed the previous evening by finishing unbeaten on a Test-best 167 out of 416 all out.

But England’s hopes of pushing for a 3-0 Investec series whitewash then receded after the Yorkshireman dropped a straightforward chance, which reprieved opener Dimuth Karunaratne on 28.

The tourists’ reply was 49 without loss at that stage – and although Bairstow eventually took the catch down the leg-side off Steven Finn to see off the left-hander, by stumps the total was 162-1.

Kaushal Silva (79 not out) and Karunaratne (50) put on 108, and then Kusal Mendis provided further Sri Lankan solidity in another unbroken half-century stand to put England’s own efforts with the bat into new context.

Bairstow’s day had begun much more positively, in a partnership of 144 with Chris Woakes (66) – who also hit a career-best – to help England towards a par total after choosing to bat on a docile pitch.

Despite the continuation of Bairstow’s brilliant form with his first hundred at HQ, the hosts had arguably under-performed on day one.

On the resumption, however, their seventh-wicket pair ensured more substantial gains.

Woakes registered his maiden Test half-century, and shortly after his dismissal – chipping a return catch back to Rangana Herath (4-81) – Bairstow’s leg-glance for four off Angelo Mathews took him past his previous best of 150no.

He already had the highest score by any England wicketkeeper at this venue and by the time his ninth first-class innings of the summer ended only because he ran out of partners, he had taken his season’s tally to an impressive 888.

Woakes reached his 50, from 102 balls, with his seventh boundary – flashed past point off Shaminda Eranga.