England set tough victory target against Sri Lanka England's chances of victory in the first Test plummeted as a defiant Sri Lankan tail set a winning target of 340 on a frustrating third day. The tourists took three wickets in the morning session to leave Sri Lanka 127 for eight, only for Prasanna Jayawardene to share stands of 40 and 47 with numbers 10 and 11. When Stuart Broad took a return catch off Jayawardene in the 72nd over England thought they would be chasing 293 - still a record fourth-innings score at Galle - but television replays showed he had no-balled and the batsman was reprieved. The history books make unhappy reading for England, with highest ever fourth-innings score on this ground 253 and largest successful chase just 96. Sri Lanka resumed on 84 for five, with Dinesh Chandimal and nightwatchman Suraj Randiv at the crease. England opted for Graeme Swann and James Anderson first up, but despite a couple of false shots there was no early breakthrough. Chandimal guided Swann through point to take the total past 100 and greeted the arrival of Monty Panesar by lifting him over the infield for four more. After 45 minutes of frustration, Panesar drew a mistake from Chandimal, who looped an ugly shot to Kevin Pietersen at mid-off to go for 31. Swann was rewarded for his morning's work three overs later when he won a marginal lbw verdict against Randiv, gone for a valuable 18. That sealed Swann's 12th five-wicket haul in Tests and kept England in the hunt. Rangana Herath clubbed the off-spinner for four as the lead edged past 250 but fell soon after attempting a repeat. Every run from there on added to the pressure on England, who were already 276 behind by lunch. Sri Lanka's ninth-wicket pairing were finally parted in the fifth over after the break when Panesar drew the edge from Welegedara and Strauss made a smart diving catch. Welegedara had detained England for over an hour, making 13 in a 40-run stand with the busy Jayawardene. Five balls later came Broad's no-ball. He thought he had the wicketkeeper caught and bowled but saw the decision reversed after he was called for overstepping. Had Jayawardene been given, England's chase would have been 293, but he made good use of his luck by hoisting Panesar for six and four down the ground. Last man Suranga Lakmal added salt to the wounds with an extravagant cut for four off Broad, while a wayward throw from Trott spoiled a certain run out. Jayawardene moved to 50 by pulling Broad for six and collected a third maximum off Swann when Patel came into contact with the boundary rope while attempting a catch. The new ball was taken in the 80th over but it took a run out to end the innings, with Jayawardene left not out on 61. Alastair Cook, having bagged a first-innings duck, cut Lakmal for successive fours in the second over and Strauss got off the mark with a similar stroke off Chanaka Welegedara. Mahela Jayawardene handed Herath the last over before tea, looking to build on his six first-innings wickets, but Strauss ensured there was no drama. England were 27 without loss at the interval, with plenty of hard work still ahead.