Sri Lanka fought back with a century opening stand against England on the third day of the third and final cricket test at Old Trafford yesterday.
The tourists were 130 for one at the close in reply to England's 512 but, with only two days left, their chances of preventing Nasser
Hussain's men from clinching the series, which they lead 1-0, are remote.
Opener Atapattu struck 48 before going off with an injured finger from an Andrew Flintoff delivery.
But Russel Arnold struck 62 from 77 balls to lift his side to 107 before he fell to Alex Tudor.
Earlier, Alec Stewart hit four fours off consecutive balls to complete a stylish century.
He finished on 123, his 15th test hundred, making him the second centurymaker of the innings after Mark Butcher.
