Kaushal Silva's unbeaten fifty kept England at bay after Sri Lanka were made to follow-on in the second Test at the Riverside on Sunday.

At tea on the third day, Sri Lanka were 162 for three -- still a huge 235 runs behind England's first innings 498 for nine declared, which featured Moeen Ali's Test-best 155 not out.

But at least they had stopped the rot after becoming the first side since New Zealand in England back in 1958 to be bowled out for under 120 in three successive Test innings after being dismissed for 101 in reply to England's commanding first innings score.

Sri Lanka managed just 91 and 119 during a crushing innings and 88-run defeat in the first of this three-Test series at Headingley last week.

But come Sunday's tea interval, Silva was 57 not out and Angelo Mathews, the Sri Lanka captain, 35 not out, with their unbroken fourth-wicket stand so far worth 62.

Dimuth Karunaratne (26) looked increasingly assured before he edged Chris Woakes to Joe Root at second slip.

Sri Lanka, 58 for one at lunch, saw the talented Kusal Mendis hit three fours in five balls off James Anderson, including two well-struck square cuts.

But the final ball of the same over saw Anderson square up Mendis (26) with a good length delivery that cut away and wicket-keeper Jonny Bairstow held a simple catch.

Mendis's exit brought in Lahiru Thirimanne, promoted after his first-innings 19.

Thirimanne hit off-spinner Ali for two fours in three balls.

SCORES IN BRIEF

ENGLAND: First innings 498-9 decl (Moeen 155 not out, Hales 83, Root 80; Pradeep 4-107)

SRI LANKA: First innings 101 (Silva 13, Mendis 35, Thirimanne 19, Herath 12; Anderson 3-36, Broad 4-40, Woakes 3-9)

SRI LANKA: Second innings 163 for 3 (Karunaratne 26, Silva 57 not out, Mendis 26, Mathews 35 not out; Anderson 1-34, Woakes 1-36, Moeen 1-30)