Play on Day 1 was reduced to 48 overs, play on Day 3 was reduced to 70 overs and play on Day 4 was reduced to 63 overs due to rain. Start of Day 5 delayed due to rain.
Jonathan Trott's score of 203 is the highest score by an English batsman against Sri Lanka, beating the previous score of 174 set by Graham Gooch in 1991.[2] Sri Lanka's second innings total of 82 was their fifth-lowest Test total.[3]Thisara Perera made his Test debut for Sri Lanka in this game.[4]
On the opening day, England's batsmen were reduced to 22 for 3, before battling back to finish the day on 342 for 6. This included a record stand for the sixth wicket against Sri Lanka, when Eoin Morgan and Matt Prior made 101 runs.[5] Sri Lankan captain Tillakaratne Dilshan score of 193 was the highest score made by a Sri Lankan at Lord's and Dilshan's highest Test Match score.[6] Dilshan also suffered a broken thumb from a delivery on the third day by Chris Tremlett that caused him to miss the Third Test.[7] England wicketkeeper Matt Prior was reprimanded by the International Cricket Council for breaking a window in the dressing room after he was run out.[8]