Joe Root hit his 34th Test century at Lord's on Saturday, surpassing Alastair Cook's 33 to become England's highest centurion in the game's longest format.

England were all out for 251 in their second innings setting Sri Lanka a huge target of 483 to win the second Test and level the three-match series. Sri Lanka were 53/2 when bad light forced an early end to the day's proceedings.

The highest successful run chase in Test cricket is 418 that West Indies chased down to beat Australia in May 2003.

Root smashed a four through covers to reach 102 and record a century in each innings of the Test. He was dismissed a run later.

Root had pulled level with Cook in the England record books in the first innings with a knock of 143.

Cook hailed Root as "a genius" after losing his record for the most England Test centuries to former teammate.

"He is England's greatest, and it's right that he should have this record, on his own," Cook, who was England's captain in each of Root's first 53 Tests, said on commentary for BBC's Test Match Special. "We are watching a genius."