| 0.0 : TOSS - The coin lands in favour of Dhananjaya de Silva. Sri Lanka have elected to BOWL first for the second time in a row in this series. |
| Sri Lanka (Playing XI) - Dimuth Karunaratne, Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis (In place of Nishan Madushka), Angelo Mathews, Dinesh Chandimal, Dhananjaya de Silva (C), Kamindu Mendis, Milan Rathnayake, Vishwa Fernando (In place of Prabath Jayasuriya), Lahiru Kumara, Asitha Fernando. |
| England (Playing XI) - Dan Lawrence, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope(C), Joe Root, Harry Brook, Jamie Smith(WK), Chris Woakes, Gus Atkinson, Olly Stone, Josh Hull (In place of Matthew Potts and On Debut), Shoaib Bashir. |
| A big day for 20-year old Josh Hull as he makes his Test debut. Just before the toss, he was presented with the cap by none other than the legendary Andrew Flintoff. |
| Dhananjaya de Silva, the skipper of Sri Lanka says they cannot control the weather and just focus on what they can do and control with while on the field. Informs they are going with 4 regular seamers. Is hopeful that the workload will be shared equally in this Test. Informs Kusal Mendis and Vishwa Fernando come in place of Nishan Madushka and Prabath Jayasuriya. |
| Ollie Pope, the captain of England says that they would have bowled first as well but it will be a nice challenge for them to bat. Adds that he trusts the abilities of Josh Hull who plays his first Test. States that the youngster enjoys every moment and he bowled beautifully in the nets, so looking forward to seeing him in the game. He reckons he has been short of runs but hopes to change that in this match. Ends up saying that the Joe Root is making the best out of his highs and he would lov |
| PITCH REPORT - Stuart Broad and Mark Butcher are inspecting the deck. Butcher reckons that with overhead conditions being grey, batting might be a bit challenging. Mentions that the groundsmen have cut down the grass to 4mm which is less than the usual county games. Adds that it will be all about using the conditions. Broad joins him and adds that the ball will move here and it is all about seam movement. Says if you are a bowler, you got to hit the hard lengths to generate success. Also adds th |
| We are moments away from the start of the game but before that, players from both sides make their way out to the middle and line up for their respective national anthems. It will be Sri Lanka's first followed by the national anthem of England. |
| Done with the pre-match formalities! The conditions are pretty overcast here at the Oval and we are now ready for the final Test of the English summer. Ben Duckett and Dan Lawrence are the two openers for England. Asitha Fernando has the new red cherry in his hand and is raring to go. Let's play... |
| 0.1 : Asitha Fernando to Ben Duckett, Asitha with two slips and a gully, begins from over the stumps and bowls right on the money! |
| 0.2 : Asitha Fernando to Ben Duckett, No run. |
| 0.3 : Asitha Fernando to Ben Duckett, Play and a miss! Outside off on a hard length, Ben Duckett does not move his feet and tries to slash it hard but misses and gets beaten on the outside edge. |
| 0.4 : Asitha Fernando to Ben Duckett, No run. |
| 0.5 : Asitha Fernando to Ben Duckett, A streaky way to get underway! On the middle, curving in a shade on a fuller length, Ben Duckett closes the bat's face way early on the flick shot and gets a leading edge to the cover-point region for a quick single. |
| 0.6 : Asitha Fernando to Dan Lawrence, Back of a length and on middle, at 129 kph, Dan Lawrence defends it to mid-wicket. |
| 0.0 : Vishwa Fernando will be bowling from the other end. |
| 1.1 : Vishwa Fernando to Ben Duckett, Vishwa Fernando begins with a couple of slips in place and a gully in position. Hits the deck hard outside off from over the pegs, Ben Duckett punches it off the back foot to the short cover region. |
| 1.2 : Vishwa Fernando to Ben Duckett, This one tails in a long way, starts from the middle stump and goes down the leg side on a fullish length. Ben Duckett misses to flick it away and the keeper collects it by bending to his left. |
| 1.3 : Vishwa Fernando to Ben Duckett, No run. |
| 1.4 : Vishwa Fernando to Ben Duckett, Over the top of off, on a length, and shaping inwards. Ben Duckett waits for it to arrive and tucks it with soft hands to wide mid-wicket and jogs for a single. |
| 1.5 : Vishwa Fernando to Dan Lawrence, Aims the middle and leg stump line with an inward movement, Dan Lawrence stands upright and glances it straight to square leg who misfields and parries the ball to mid-wicket, but is quick to redeem himself. |
| 1.6 : Vishwa Fernando to Dan Lawrence, There's that questioning line and length! Lands it on the leg stump line and moves it away from the batter around off, on a length, Dan Lawrence attempts for a firm push, but plays inside the line of the ball and gets beaten on the outside edge. |
| 2.1 : Asitha Fernando to Ben Duckett, Swing and a miss! Full and across off, Ben Duckett has to really reach out for it as he extends his arms and slashes hard. Ends up getting beaten on the outside edge. |
| 2.2 : Asitha Fernando to Ben Duckett, Back of a length, fractionally swinging in from middle with the angle, Ben Duckett glances it with soft hands towards square leg. |
| 2.4 : Asitha Fernando to Ben Duckett, Fuller and around the middle and off, Ben Duckett pushes it firmly to mid on. |
| 2.3 : Asitha Fernando to Ben Duckett, FOUR! Almost chopped on, but gets away with it does Duckett! |
| 2.5 : Asitha Fernando to Ben Duckett, Asitha hurls this one on a questioning length! Entices the batter to poke at it by bowling it full and in the channel of uncertainty, just outside off. Ben Duckett has a feel for it and prods forward to defend it. Plays it inside the line and gets beaten on the outside edge by a whisker. |
| 2.6 : Asitha Fernando to Ben Duckett,Good-length delivery sliding down leg, Duckett lets it pass. |
| 3.1 : Vishwa Fernando to Dan Lawrence, WIDE! Sprays it well across and outside the tramline on a length. Wide given. |
| Vishwa Fernando to Dan Lawrence, Corrects his length and line, on the middle and on the good length, Dan Lawrence gets behind the line of the ball and punches it solidly underneath his bat off the back foot. |
| 3.2 : Vishwa Fernando to Dan Lawrence, And again! |
| 3.3 : Vishwa Fernando to Dan Lawrence, Almost an identical line and length, outside off, Dan Lawrence shoulders arms at this one. |
| 3.4 : Vishwa Fernando to Dan Lawrence, Oopsie! That took off quite late! |
| 3.5 : Vishwa Fernando to Ben Duckett, FOUR! Nice shot! Vishwa Fernando misses his line and bowls it full and down leg, Ben Duckett simply flicks it through the mid-wicket and mid on gap for a boundary. |
| 3.6 : Vishwa Fernando to Ben Duckett, Similar length, but a bit closer to the body, Ben Duckett hits it across and threads the flick through mid-wicket and mid on. Kamindu Mendis chases the ball from the mid on region and does well to intercept it before the ropes with a slide. He lobs the ball to the converging fielder from mid-wicket. Three taken in the meantime. |
| 4.1 : Asitha Fernando to Ben Duckett, Good length, across off, Ben Duckett pokes at it, looking for a back foot push but gets beaten on the outside edge. |
| 4.2 : Asitha Fernando to Ben Duckett, Hard length at 134 kph, outside off, Ben Duckett weighs on the back foot and mistimes the pull shot along the ground to mid-wicket. |
| 4.3 : Asitha Fernando to Ben Duckett, 3 runs. |
| 4.4 : Asitha Fernando to Dan Lawrence, Hard-length delivery outside off, Dan Lawrence lets it go. |
| 4.5 : Asitha Fernando to Dan Lawrence, At 129 kph, good length, outside off, Dan Lawrence leaves it alone. The ball carries to the keeper with a bit of a lateral movement, but Chandimal manages to collect it well and sharply behind the wickets. |
| 4.6 : Asitha Fernando to Dan Lawrence, No run. |
| 0.0 : First change in the inning. Lahiru Kumara joins the attack now. |
| 5.1 : Lahiru Kumara to Ben Duckett, Lahiru Kumar starts with a couple of slips in place. Starts a bit wayward on the hard length, down leg. Ben Duckett misses to pull. Dinesh Chandimal moves to his right as the ball moves away very late. Does manage to get his right hand at it but the ball deflects off his gloves towards the short fine region. |
| 5.2 : Lahiru Kumara to Ben Duckett, No run. |
| 0.0 : Oops, that must have hurt Dinesh Chandimal! He has a blow on his right hand lower thumb, as he dives to his right to keep the delivery. The physio is out to have a look. Chamdimal is back on his feet and is ready to keep further. |
| 5.3 : Lahiru Kumara to Ben Duckett, FOUR! Now that's a gracious shot! |
| 5.4 : Lahiru Kumara to Ben Duckett, Full on the off stump, Ben Duckett taps it towards cover for a quick single. |
| 5.5 : Lahiru Kumara to Dan Lawrence, First runs for Lawrence and he gets a cheer from the spectators. Over the top of the middle, on the back of a length, Dan Lawrence tucks it off the back foot towards deep square leg for a couple of runs. |
| 5.6 : Lahiru Kumara to Dan Lawrence, Good leave! Kumara lands it on a nagging length, slightly nipping back in after pitching outside off, Dan Lawrence watches the ball closely and opts out as he hangs his bat in the air. |
| 6.1 : Asitha Fernando to Ben Duckett, Keeps it straight, keeps it full, shapes in a touch, Ben Duckett stays in his crease and blocks it out with a straight bat down the pitch. |
| 6.2 : Asitha Fernando to Ben Duckett, Goes fuller again but on the pads this time, Ben Duckett flicks it away nicely but finds short mid-wicket. That was there to be put away. |
| 6.3 : Asitha Fernando to Ben Duckett, Asitha Fernando lands this one back of a length, on off, holds its line and skids through as well, Ben Duckett gets a bit hurried but manages well to pat it down to the off side. |
| 6.4 : Asitha Fernando to Ben Duckett, Short of a length and around leg, Ben Duckett easily tucks it off his hips towards fine leg for a single. |
| 6.5 : Asitha Fernando to Dan Lawrence, Hits the length hard, on the sixth stump line, this one takes off a bit after hitting the deck, Dan Lawrence watches it through, lifts it his bat and lets it go to the keeper. |
| 6.6 : Asitha Fernando to Dan Lawrence, Too straight again! On a length and angles into the leg side, Dan Lawrence nudges it away towards fine leg for a run. |
| 7.1 : Lahiru Kumara to Dan Lawrence, Back of a length and around off, Dan Lawrence hops up a bit and dabs it down towards point. |
| 7.2 : Lahiru Kumara to Dan Lawrence, Good-length delivery, shapes in sharply with a bit of an extra bounce, Dan Lawrence gets into an awkward position but flicks it away through mid-wicket for a single. |
| 7.3 : Lahiru Kumara to Ben Duckett, 2 runs. |
| 7.4 : Lahiru Kumara to Ben Duckett, On a length and on middle, Ben Duckett works it wide of mid-wicket for another run. |
| 7.5 : Lahiru Kumara to Dan Lawrence, No run. |
| 7.6 : Lahiru Kumara to Dan Lawrence, No run. |
| 0.0 : Milan Rathnayake has been introduced into the attack now. He replaces Asitha Fernando. |
| 8.1 : Milan Rathnayake to Ben Duckett, Nicely played! Milan Rathnayake starts with a cross-seam delivery, full and on off, Ben Duckett presents the full face of his bat and drives it smoothly past mid off, Dhananjaya de Silva from mid on chases after it, puts in a dive forward to push it back inside. Three runs taken. |
| 8.2 : Milan Rathnayake to Dan Lawrence, On a length and on middle, Dan Lawrence nudges it towards mid-wicket for a single. |
| 8.3 : Milan Rathnayake to Ben Duckett, Pitches it up now, on middle and leg, no real movement on this one, Ben Duckett knocks it down to mid on. |
| 8.4 : Milan Rathnayake to Ben Duckett, Pulls his length back this time, on off, Ben Duckett takes a couple of steps forward and blocks it out to the off side. |
| 8.5 : Milan Rathnayake to Ben Duckett, FOUR! Thrashed away! |
| 8.6 : Milan Rathnayake to Ben Duckett, FOUR MORE! Good aggression from Ben Duckett! |
| 9.1 : Lahiru Kumara to Dan Lawrence, No run. |
| 9.2 : Lahiru Kumara to Dan Lawrence, OUT! IN THE AIR....GONE! Lahiru Kumara draws first blood here! Dan Lawrence's lean patch continues as he goes back for yet another low score in this series. |
| 0.0 : Ollie Pope, the English skipper walks in at number 3. |
| 9.3 : Lahiru Kumara to Ollie Pope, Leg bye. |
| 9.4 : Lahiru Kumara to Ben Duckett, 2 runs. |
| 9.5 : Lahiru Kumara to Ben Duckett, On a length and on leg, Ben Duckett works it around the corner for another run. |
| 9.6 : Lahiru Kumara to Ollie Pope, Hard length and on off, shapes in, Ollie Pope leaves it alone, Dinesh Chandimal dives to stop it but only manages to parry it away allowing a bye. He is having a torrid time behind the stumps here. |
| 10.1 : Milan Rathnayake to Ollie Pope, FOUR! Lovely shot! |
| 10.2 : Milan Rathnayake to Ollie Pope, Pitched up and on off, Ollie Pope looks to drive but losses his bottom hand, fails to get the timing as the ball rolls towards mid off. |
| 10.3 : Milan Rathnayake to Ollie Pope, Fuller in length and on off again, Ollie Pope this time prods forward and blocks it out. |
| 10.4 : Milan Rathnayake to Ollie Pope, Hits the length hard and in that channel outside off, shapes away a touch, Ollie Pope offers no shot at it. |
| 10.5 : Milan Rathnayake to Ollie Pope, Short of a length and outside off, shapes away again, Ollie Pope goes after it and slashes hard but fails to connect. |
| 10.6 : Milan Rathnayake to Ollie Pope, Hard length and around off, Ollie Pope punches it towards deep point for a single. |
| 11.1 : Lahiru Kumara to Ollie Pope, Fuller and on off, Ollie Pope gets forward and plays a front foot defense towards short covers. |
| 11.2 : Lahiru Kumara to Ollie Pope, On a length and around off, Ollie Pope looks to guide it away but ends up stabbing it towards short covers again. |
| 11.3 : Lahiru Kumara to Ollie Pope, 3 runs. |
| 11.4 : Lahiru Kumara to Ben Duckett, No run. |
| 11.5 : Lahiru Kumara to Ben Duckett, 1 run. |
| 11.6 : Lahiru Kumara to Ollie Pope, SIX! That's big! |
| 12.1 : Milan Rathnayake to Ben Duckett, Four! |
| 0.0 : Drinks! Time for the first hydration break in this third Test. England have dominated the session thus far as they have maintained to score at a healthy run rate in this first hour or so. Ben Duckett has looked rock-solid and is already into his 40s. The ball hasn't done much of a movement which might trouble the batters big time, or we can say, the Sri Lankan bowlers have been inconsistent with their lines and lengths. But they have managed to break the opening partnership as Lawrence had a tou |
| 12.2 : Milan Rathnayake to Ben Duckett, No run. |
| 12.3 : Milan Rathnayake to Ben Duckett, FOUR! TOP SHOT! |
| 12.4 : Milan Rathnayake to Ben Duckett, No run. |
| 12.5 : Milan Rathnayake to Ben Duckett, Short of a length on off. Ben Duckett prods and defends it down. |
| 12.6 : Milan Rathnayake to Ben Duckett, No run. |
| 13.1 : Lahiru Kumara to Ollie Pope, Full-length delivery just outside off. Ollie Pope leans towards the delivery and drives it gently towards mid off. |
| 13.2 : Lahiru Kumara to Ollie Pope, No run. |
| 13.3 : Lahiru Kumara to Ollie Pope, Pitched up, and outside of. Ollie Pope solidly defends to his front. |
| 13.4 : Lahiru Kumara to Ollie Pope, Sprays fuller, just outside off, angling towards the stump. Ollie Pope plants his front foot and blocks it right under his eyesight. |
| 13.5 : Lahiru Kumara to Ollie Pope, No run. |
| 13.6 : Lahiru Kumara to Ollie Pope, Pitches it up, oon off. Ollie Pope rests it down towards the cover region for no runs. |
| 14.1 : Vishwa Fernando to Ben Duckett, No run. |
| 13.6 : Change. |
| 14.2 : Vishwa Fernando to Ben Duckett, Pitched up, once again just outside off. Ben Duckett comes forward and pushes it towards cover region for no runs. |
| 14.3 : Vishwa Fernando to Ben Duckett, 3 runs. |
| 14.4 : Vishwa Fernando to Ollie Pope, No run. |
| 14.5 : Vishwa Fernando to Ollie Pope, No run. |
| 14.6 : Vishwa Fernando to Ollie Pope, No run. |
| 0.0 : UPDATE - 11.21 am GMT - Uh, oh! The light meter is out and unfortunately, the umpires have deemed that the light has deteriorated. There's more artificial light as compared to natural light which is not an ideal condition to continue with the play. The players are now walking off the field as there's a slight drizzle as well out there. The white sheets are being brought in now to cover the strip. It's not that heavy right now, but the conditions are too muggy overhead, to say the least. If the |
| UPDATE - 11.32 am GMT - As mentioned by Ian Ward on air, it's going to be a 'rancid day'. The radar shows that the conditions might even get worse in the upcoming hours as there's a huge and thick cloud cover hovering around South London which might bring showers. As of now, it is not a heavy drizzle but more importantly, the play won't resume until the light conditions get improved. Please stick around for further updates. |
| UPDATE - 11.35 am GMT - We have an update and it is not a promising one, folks! The drizzle has now turned into proper showers and an early Lunch will be taken at 11.40 am GMT. |
| SESSION SUMMARY - 76 runs and 1 wicket in 15 overs! Well, if you are thinking how only 15 overs have been bowled in the first session, it is because of the mixture of bad light with rain. The umpires in the hopes of the conditions getting better have decided to take an early Lunch on Day 1. |
| Winning the toss, Sri Lanka decided to bowl first under gloomy and overcast conditions hoping their pacers would get good help. However, that was not quite the case as there wasn't much movement, and the visitors were quite inconsistent with their line and lengths as well. They went past the edges on a few occasions but didn't really had anything to show until Dan Lawrence got into an awkward position and gifted his wicket away. |
| England as usual have been pretty aggressive with the run-scoring and Ben Duckett is leading the charge. He has already notched up his half-century in quick time, and will be disappointed that his momentum has been halted due to uncontrollable factors. Ollie Pope has also played his shots since coming onto bat and both of them looked in good touch. Lahiru Kumara was the lone wicket-taker for the visitors in this session, but this break now gives them enough time to come up with some differen |
| UPDATE - 12.20 pm GMT - Ideally, the second session should have started by now as the allotted 40 minutes for Lunch break have passed now. But, unfortunately, the conditions haven't improved one bit and it hasn't stopped raining. We will probably see a 'delay of an unknown length' as mentioned on-air by Ian Ward. Stick around for further updates. |
| UPDATE - 12.34 pm GMT - The conditions remain dark overhead and it continues to rain in London as we speak. The pitch and the squares are covered under white sheets and the waiting game continues. Stay tuned for further updates. |
| While we wait for play to resume, there's more great news from the 2024 Paralympics for India! Praveen Kumar has secured gold in the Men's High Jump T64 event, bringing Indiaâs gold medal count to 6. The overall medal tally now stands at 26, including 9 silvers and 11 bronze. This is already India's best-ever Paralympic performance, and with a few more events still to come, there's hope for even more medals to add to the tally. Currently, China leads the event with 76 gold medals while Great |
| UPDATE - 1.16 pm GMT - Well, we have nothing new to update as the situations persist to remain gloomy and rainy. On a brighter note, the second T20I between Scotland and Australia is finally getting underway as it got delayed due to foggy conditions in Edinburgh. Scotland won the toss and decided to field first! You can simply switch the tabs and follow that game for now as we await any positive news from The Oval. |
| UPDATE - 1.41 pm GMT - Thank you for being so optimistic and patient, folks! It looks like the rain has stopped for now and the covers are coming off. The ground staff is working hard so that there's no more delay in the resumption. And more pleasing news, the play will resume at 2.10 pm GMT, which is about roughly 30 minutes or so from now. Let's hope that there are no further interruptions and we at least get some good action on Day 1. |
| UPDATE - 1.52 pm GMT - We will have an extra 30 minutes of play, which, of course, largely depends on the light conditions as the day progresses. Also, Tea will be taken at 4.10 pm GMT. And only if the conditions permit, the play can be stretched max up to 6.30 pm GMT. |
| ... DAY 1, SESSION 2 ... |
| All set for the post-Lunch session to begin! The players are out in the field. Sri Lankan fielders take their respective fielding positions. Ben Duckett and Ollie Pope to resume their innings with the bat for England. |
| 15.1 : Asitha Fernando to Ben Duckett, Asitha Fernando comes 'over the wicket and bowls on a good length on middle. Ben Duckett bunts it towards backward square leg region and gets a single. |
| 15.2 : Asitha Fernando to Ollie Pope, 3 runs. |
| 15.3 : Asitha Fernando to Ben Duckett, No run. |
| 15.4 : Asitha Fernando to Ben Duckett, Good-length delivery on middle and off. Ben Duckett camps back and blocks it from the inner part of his willow towards the square leg region. |
| 15.5 : Asitha Fernando to Ben Duckett, No run. |
| 15.6 : Asitha Fernando to Ben Duckett, No run. |
| 0.0 : Vishwa Fernando to share the attack. |
| 16.1 : Vishwa Fernando to Ollie Pope, Four! |
| 16.2 : Vishwa Fernando to Ollie Pope, No run. |
| 16.3 : Vishwa Fernando to Ollie Pope, No run. |
| 16.4 : Vishwa Fernando to Ollie Pope, No run. |
| 16.5 : Vishwa Fernando to Ollie Pope, No run. |
| 16.6 : Vishwa Fernando to Ollie Pope, 1 run. |
| 17.1 : Asitha Fernando to Ollie Pope, No run. |
| 17.2 : Asitha Fernando to Ollie Pope, No run. |
| 17.3 : Asitha Fernando to Ollie Pope, Hard-length delivery outside off, around seventh stump. Ollie Pope cuts this one towards deep point and gets a comfortable single. |
| 17.4 : Asitha Fernando to Ben Duckett, No run. |
| 17.5 : Asitha Fernando to Ben Duckett, 2 runs. |
| 17.6 : Asitha Fernando to Ben Duckett, 1 run. |
| 18.1 : Vishwa Fernando to Ben Duckett, No run. |
| 18.2 : Vishwa Fernando to Ben Duckett, No run. |
| 18.3 : Vishwa Fernando to Ben Duckett, 1 run. |
| 18.4 : Vishwa Fernando to Ollie Pope, No run. |
| 18.5 : Vishwa Fernando to Ollie Pope, Length delivery on middle. Ollie Pope tucks it towards deep square leg for a single. |
| 18.6 : Vishwa Fernando to Ben Duckett, FOUR! That one traveled like a bullet! Hard-length delivery, angling it away from the left-hander, away from the off stump. Ben Duckett frees his arms and punches it hard through the cover region for four more runs. |
| 19.1 : Asitha Fernando to Ollie Pope, Full and just outside off, shaping it away from the stump. Ollie Pope shoulder arms the delivery. |
| 19.2 : Asitha Fernando to Ollie Pope, No run. |
| 19.3 : Asitha Fernando to Ollie Pope, No run. |
| 19.4 : Asitha Fernando to Ollie Pope, No run. |
| 19.5 : Asitha Fernando to Ollie Pope, No run. |
| 19.6 : Asitha Fernando to Ollie Pope, Good-length delivery on off, shaping in. Ollie Pope brings the full face of his willow to defend it down but gets nicked on the inner edge and the ball rolls towards deep fine leg for a single. |
| 20.1 : Lahiru Kumara to Ollie Pope, No run. |
| 20.2 : Lahiru Kumara to Ollie Pope, Back of a length just outside off, shaping in. Ollie Pope rides the bounce and pushes it towards the cover region. |
| 0.0 : Slight halt! Ollie Pope looks in a bit of pain here. He is not wearing any arm guard and the ball hits him hard on the left elbow. The physio is in to check on him. Pope is good to continue here. |
| 20.3 : Lahiru Kumara to Ollie Pope, Good-length delivery on middle and leg. Ollie Pope clips it towards deep square leg and gets a comfortable single. |
| 20.4 : Lahiru Kumara to Ben Duckett, No run. |
| 20.5 : Lahiru Kumara to Ben Duckett, No run. |
| 20.6 : Lahiru Kumara to Ben Duckett, On a length just outside off. Ben Duckett rides the bounce and cuts it a bit late towards deep third man and gets a couple. |
| 21.1 : Asitha Fernando to Ollie Pope, Four! |
| 21.2 : Asitha Fernando to Ollie Pope, 2 runs. |
| 21.3 : Asitha Fernando to Ollie Pope, No run. |
| 21.4 : Asitha Fernando to Ollie Pope, 2 runs. |
| 21.5 : Asitha Fernando to Ollie Pope, No run. |
| 21.6 : Asitha Fernando to Ollie Pope, Fuller in length, angling on the pads, Ollie Pope flicks it with his wrists and along the ground toward deep backward square leg for a couple of runs. |
| 22.1 : Lahiru Kumara to Ben Duckett, Back of a length and around off, Ben Duckett stays back and fends it away. |
| 22.2 : Lahiru Kumara to Ben Duckett, FOUR! Not where he intended to play that, but gets the reward! |
| 22.3 : Lahiru Kumara to Ben Duckett, 1 run. |
| 22.4 : Lahiru Kumara to Ollie Pope, No run. |
| 22.5 : Lahiru Kumara to Ollie Pope, FOUR! Fine shot! |
| 22.6 : Lahiru Kumara to Ollie Pope, Overpitched and on middle, Ollie Pope drills it down the pitch and wide of mid on for a run. |
| 23.1 : Asitha Fernando to Ollie Pope, Full and around off, Ollie Pope pushes it towards short extra covers for a single, the fielder throws it at the bowler's end but misses. Pope wants the overthrow, but Duckett has gone a long way, so they settle for one. |
| 23.2 : Asitha Fernando to Ben Duckett, Full again and on middle, Ben Duckett drills it out towards mid off. |
| 23.3 : Asitha Fernando to Ben Duckett, No run. |
| 23.4 : Asitha Fernando to Ben Duckett, Back of a length and around off, Ben Duckett punches it towards short covers. |
| 23.5 : Asitha Fernando to Ben Duckett, Digs it in the surface again, outside off, angles away, Ben Duckett initially winds up for the pull but withdraws from the shot in the end. |
| 23.6 : Asitha Fernando to Ben Duckett, Hard length and around off again, Ben Duckett stays in his crease and muscles it away through covers, deep point runs to his right to collect it while the batters run three. |
| 24.1 : Lahiru Kumara to Ben Duckett, SIX! Right from the middle this time! |
| 24.2 : Lahiru Kumara to Ben Duckett, Short of a length and around off, Ben Duckett pulls it away wide of deep mid-wicket for a brace. The runs are coming thick and fast now. |
| 24.3 : Lahiru Kumara to Ben Duckett, Goes for it again, but misses! |
| 24.4 : Lahiru Kumara to Ben Duckett, SIX! BOOM! The other way now! |
| 24.5 : Lahiru Kumara to Ben Duckett, 2 runs. |
| 24.6 : Lahiru Kumara to Ben Duckett, A huge shot for LBW, but the umpire shakes his head! This one looks close and Dhananjaya de Silva goes for the review. |
| Change. |
| 25.1 : Milan Rathnayake to Ollie Pope, No run. |
| 25.2 : Milan Rathnayake to Ollie Pope, No run. |
| 25.3 : Milan Rathnayake to Ollie Pope, No run. |
| 25.4 : Milan Rathnayake to Ollie Pope, Fuller once again, on the sixth stump line, Ollie Pope uses his feet this time and knocks it towards covers, he scampers across for a single. |
| 25.5 : Milan Rathnayake to Ben Duckett, Back of a length and on middle and off, Ben Duckett stays in his crease and pats it down the pitch. |
| 25.6 : Milan Rathnayake to Ben Duckett, OUT! c Dinesh Chandimal b Milan Rathnayake. |
| 0.0 : Joe Root walks in at number 4 for England. |
| 26.1 : Lahiru Kumara to Ollie Pope, SIX! Streaky and the bowler cannot believe it! |
| 26.2 : Lahiru Kumara to Ollie Pope, Four! |
| 26.3 : Lahiru Kumara to Ollie Pope, On a length and on middle, Ollie Pope works it away through backward square leg for a single. |
| 26.4 : Lahiru Kumara to Joe Root, FOUR! Just wide! |
| 26.5 : Lahiru Kumara to Joe Root, No run. |
| 26.6 : Lahiru Kumara to Joe Root, Back of a length and on off, Joe Root stabs it in front of covers for one. |
| 0.0 : Drinks! Well, the Bazballers have maintained their tag wholeheartedly so far as they have hovered constantly around 5 runs per over. Ben Duckett though, fell for his own aggression and missed his century, yet again. But despite the wicket, Sri Lankan bowlers haven't been able to stem the flow of runs. |
| 27.1 : Milan Rathnayake to Joe Root, No run. |
| 27.2 : Milan Rathnayake to Joe Root, No run. |
| 27.3 : Milan Rathnayake to Joe Root, Full, but down the leg stump line, Joe Root tilts forward and flicks it to deep fine for a single. |
| 27.4 : Milan Rathnayake to Ollie Pope, No run. |
| 27.5 : Milan Rathnayake to Ollie Pope, Again, Milan Rathnayake angles it on the middle and leg, on the back of a length, Ollie Pope reads it well, hops on the back foot and tucks it with softer hands to deep square leg for a couple of runs. |
| 27.6 : Milan Rathnayake to Ollie Pope, Much better this time from Rathnayake! Closer to the body, on middle and full in length, Ollie Pope replies with a confident front foot defence. |
| Vishwa Fernando comes back into the attack now. |
| 28.1 : Vishwa Fernando to Joe Root, Good length a shade outside off, at 130 kph, Root covers the line with a front foot stride and defends it to covers. |
| 28.2 : Vishwa Fernando to Joe Root, Fractionally on a good length, around middle and leg, Joe Root walks across a couple of steps and tucks it along the ground with soft hands towards deep square leg for a couple of runs. |
| 28.3 : Vishwa Fernando to Joe Root, No run. |
| 28.4 : Vishwa Fernando to Joe Root, Across off on a length, Joe Root goes back and attempts the square cut but ends up getting a thickish inside edge towards the second slip on one bounce. |
| 28.5 : Vishwa Fernando to Joe Root, Hits the nagging length, around middle, and angling on off, Joe Root rides on the bounce and guides it past point for a single. |
| 28.6 : Vishwa Fernando to Ollie Pope, Wayward, and down leg, Ollie Pope wrists the glace towards deep backward square leg for an easy single. |
| 29.1 : Milan Rathnayake to Ollie Pope, FOUR! Width and Pope pounces on it gleefully! Milan Rathnayake pitches it well outside off, it nips away a shade after pitching, Ollie Pope with a steady head position, extends his levers and slashes it hard through covers for a boundary. |
| 29.2 : Milan Rathnayake to Ollie Pope, Length-delivery, outside off, Ollie Pope cuts it behind square towards deep point for a single. |
| 29.3 : Milan Rathnayake to Joe Root, Woah! Beauty! |
| 29.4 : Milan Rathnayake to Joe Root, And again! That inviting line on a length, with an away movement, Joe Root again pokes at it and gets beaten on the outside edge. |
| 29.5 : Milan Rathnayake to Joe Root, Couldn't hold onto that enticing line does Milan Rathnayake as he hurls it on the pads now. Joe Root misses to glance it away and gets rapped on the front thigh pad. |
| 29.6 : Milan Rathnayake to Joe Root, A questioning over from Rathnayake! Back to bowling on around off with a hint of an away movement on a good length. Joe Root has a feel for it and positions himself to attempt the square cut but it leaves the right hander with the angle and beats him up. |
| . |
| 30.1 : Vishwa Fernando to Ollie Pope, Back of a length, outside off, Ollie Pope cuts it past backward point for a single. |
| 30.2 : Vishwa Fernando to Joe Root, No run. |
| 30.3 : Vishwa Fernando to Joe Root, Shorter in length again but down leg, Root lets it go behind to the keeper. |
| 30.4 : Vishwa Fernando to Joe Root, Wayward down leg, Joe Root lets it pass. |
| 30.5 : Vishwa Fernando to Joe Root, Hurls it on the back of a length at the pads, Joe Root, with ease, glances it off the back foot to deep square leg for a single. |
| 30.6 : Vishwa Fernando to Ollie Pope, Vishwa Fernando is struggling big time with his lengths here. Again, bowls it down the leg. Root lets it go. |
| 31.1 : Milan Rathnayake to Joe Root, Gets that away shape does Milan Rathnayake, fuller and outside off, Joe Root watches the ball closely, prods ahead but leaves it alone. |
| 31.2 : Milan Rathnayake to Joe Root, No run. |
| 31.3 : Milan Rathnayake to Joe Root, Closer to the off peg, on a length, Joe Root gets behind the line and defends it to the strip. |
| 31.4 : Milan Rathnayake to Joe Root, Straight and full, aiming the off stump, Joe Root gets a good stride forward and respect the ball with a solid defence. |
| 31.5 : Milan Rathnayake to Joe Root, No run. |
| 31.6 : Milan Rathnayake to Joe Root, On the fifth stump line, on the length, Joe Root covers his defence and punches it off the back foot to the off side. This is the only second maiden over of the day so far. |
| . |
| 32.1 : Angelo Mathews to Ollie Pope, Mathews starts off with a slip in place, bowls it on the back of a length, tailing away outside off, Ollie Pope punches it off the back foot through cover-point for an easy single. |
| 32.2 : Angelo Mathews to Joe Root, No run. |
| 32.3 : Angelo Mathews to Joe Root, Angelo Mathews hurls it on the back of a length, and keeps the line outside off, Joe Root lets it go alone. |
| 32.4 : Angelo Mathews to Joe Root, No run. |
| 32.5 : Angelo Mathews to Joe Root, Attacks the stumps does Mathews and bowls it full and around off, Joe Root flicks it to mid on. |
| 32.6 : Angelo Mathews to Joe Root, A bit of hesitation between the two batters but they cross over. Length-delivery around off, Joe Root taps it to the cover-point region and scampers to the other end for a single. |
| 33.1 : Milan Rathnayake to Joe Root, Good-length delivery around off, shaping away, Joe Root lets it go to the keeper. |
| 33.2 : Milan Rathnayake to Joe Root, No run. |
| 33.3 : Milan Rathnayake to Joe Root, Full again and on off, angles in this time, Joe Root stays back in his crease and blocks it out. |
| 33.4 : Milan Rathnayake to Joe Root, Overpitched and on off, Joe Root drills it hard down the pitch, but Milan Rathnayake does well to stop it on his follow-through. |
| 33.5 : Milan Rathnayake to Joe Root, Sticks to his fuller length, on middle now and angles in, Joe Root steps across and knocks it towards mid on. |
| 33.6 : Milan Rathnayake to Joe Root, Back-to-back maidens from Milan Rathnayake! Short of a length and around off, Joe Root dabs it down towards point. |
| 34.1 : Angelo Mathews to Ollie Pope, FOUR! Excellent shot! Angelo Mathews goes full and just around off, Ollie Pope leans on to his drive nicely, and with the full face of the bat creams it through covers for a boundary. |
| 34.2 : Angelo Mathews to Ollie Pope, No run. |
| 34.3 : Angelo Mathews to Ollie Pope, FOUR! Deft touch! |
| 34.4 : Angelo Mathews to Ollie Pope, No run. |
| 34.5 : Angelo Mathews to Ollie Pope, 1 run. |
| 34.6 : Angelo Mathews to Joe Root, Very full again, on off, Joe Root plays the full-blooded drive but finds mid off. |
| 35.1 : Asitha Fernando to Ollie Pope, No run. |
| 35.2 : Asitha Fernando to Ollie Pope, No run. |
| 35.3 : Asitha Fernando to Ollie Pope, On a length and around off, Ollie Pope steers it wide of point for a single. |
| 35.4 : Asitha Fernando to Joe Root, Goes fuller again, on off, Joe Root strides out and dabs it down towards gully. |
| 35.5 : Asitha Fernando to Joe Root, No run. |
| 35.6 : Asitha Fernando to Joe Root, Back of a length and around off, Joe Root guides it to point. |
| 36.1 : Angelo Mathews to Ollie Pope, Short of a length and outside off, Ollie Pope cuts it away towards deep point for a single. |
| 36.2 : Angelo Mathews to Joe Root, Good length and outside off, tempts the batter, but Joe Root moves a bit forward and leaves it alone. |
| 36.3 : Angelo Mathews to Joe Root, Fuller and on off, Joe Root drives it away straight towards short covers. |
| 36.4 : Angelo Mathews to Joe Root, Pulls his length back now, on the sixth stump line, Joe Root stays back and guides it towards gully. |
| 36.5 : Angelo Mathews to Joe Root, No run. |
| 36.6 : Angelo Mathews to Joe Root, Hard length, on middle, angling in, Joe Root nudges it wide of deep square leg for a brace. |
| 37.1 : Asitha Fernando to Ollie Pope, Back of a length and outside off, shaping away, Ollie Pope thinks about slashing at it but decides against it in the end. |
| 37.2 : Asitha Fernando to Ollie Pope, FOUR! 'Catch it is the call, but this one goes away! Asitha Fernando bangs this short but way outside off, Ollie Pope this time goes after it, does really well to reach for it and slices it away towards the deep point fence for a boundary. |
| 37.3 : Asitha Fernando to Ollie Pope, No run. |
| 37.4 : Asitha Fernando to Ollie Pope, Short of a length and around off, Ollie Pope dabs it through point for a single. That also brings up the 50-run partnership between these two batters. |
| 37.5 : Asitha Fernando to Joe Root, Fuller in length and on off, Joe Root strides out and blocks it out solidly. |
| 37.6 : Asitha Fernando to Joe Root, Overpitched and around off, Joe Root strides out and drives it nicely, but Kusal Mendis at cover-point dives to his right to save the boundary. Good fielding! |
| 38.1 : Lahiru Kumara to Ollie Pope, Good length from 'over the wicket, on off, angles in, Ollie Pope stays back and blocks it out. |
| 38.2 : Lahiru Kumara to Ollie Pope, Fuller and on off, Ollie Pope taps it just wide of point for a quick single. |
| 38.3 : Lahiru Kumara to Joe Root, OUT! TAKEN! This is a massive wicket for Sri Lanka! Lahiru Kumara gets his second and gets the big fish as well. |
| 0.0 : Harry Brook walks in at number 5. |
| 38.4 : Lahiru Kumara to Harry Brook, No run. |
| 38.5 : Lahiru Kumara to Harry Brook, No run. |
| 38.6 : Lahiru Kumara to Harry Brook, No run. |
| 39.1 : Asitha Fernando to Ollie Pope, Full and on off, Ollie Pope prods out and blocks it out. |
| 39.2 : Asitha Fernando to Ollie Pope, 3 runs. |
| 39.3 : Asitha Fernando to Harry Brook, No run. |
| 39.4 : Asitha Fernando to Harry Brook, On a length and on middle, Harry Brook nudges it towards mid-wicket. |
| 39.5 : Asitha Fernando to Harry Brook, Pitches it up a bit, on middle, Harry Brook fends it down the pitch. |
| 39.6 : Asitha Fernando to Harry Brook, A beauty to end the over and the session! Asitha Fernando lands this on a good length, just on off, nips away a shy bit, Harry Brook gets drawn forward as the ball zips past the outside edge. THAT WILL BE TEA ON DAY 2! |
| 0.0 : TEA, DAY 1 - Session Summary - 25 overs, 118 runs, 2 wickets. England would be mighty pleased with the score they have managed to put on. The clash resumed late after the Lunch break, because of some slight drizzle. The groundsmen have done a fabulous job of draining the logged water pretty quickly. Ben Duckett and Ollie Pope started their strands from where they ended. Well, the runs were coming thick, and especially Duckett went hard on the Lankan pacers, and caressed some scoops and cuts to |
| After the rain, the ball swung much more than the prior session but the bowlers failed to put much pressure on the batters. After the loss of their second wicket, Pope and Joe Root handled the situation a bit passively, but they made sure to keep the scoreboard ticking. The local boy, Pope also accomplished his 14th half-century in the Test cricket format. Everything was going well for the Three Lions, but the compilation of the change of bringing Lahiru Kumara back into the attack in the 39th o |
| ... DAY 1, SESSION 3 ... |
| 40.1 : Lahiru Kumara to Ollie Pope, Lahiru Kumara starts with a back-of-a-length delivery, on of, Ollie Pope looks to punch it away but bunts it down on the ground. |
| 0.0 : We are back for the final session of the first day. The two umpires Joel Wilson and Chris Gaffaney walk out to the middle. The Sri Lankan players walk down the stairs to take their fielding positions. Ollie Pope, eyeing for his 7th Test hundred, along with Harry Brook to resume their innings with the bat. The floodlights are illuminating and it remains to be overcast out there. Lahiru Kumara to continue after the break. And, here we go... |
| 40.2 : Lahiru Kumara to Ollie Pope, FOUR! Just over! |
| 40.3 : Lahiru Kumara to Ollie Pope, Short of a length and outside off, Ollie Pope cuts it away towards deep point for a single. |
| 40.4 : Lahiru Kumara to Harry Brook, 1 run. |
| 40.5 : Lahiru Kumara to Ollie Pope, Overpitched and just outside off, Ollie Pope drills it out straight to short covers. |
| 40.6 : Lahiru Kumara to Ollie Pope, Goes full again, on off, angling in, Ollie Pope taps it out towards short covers. 6 runs off the over then! |
| Asitha Fernando to share the attack from the other end. |
| 41.1 : Asitha Fernando to Harry Brook, FOUR! Harry Brook joins the party now but in streaky fashion! Asitha Fernando begins with a good-length delivery, on off, Harry Brook uses his feet to push it away but gets an outside edge that goes between the second slip and gully for a boundary. A third slip and it would have gone straight into the hands. |
| 41.2 : Asitha Fernando to Harry Brook, No run. |
| 41.3 : Asitha Fernando to Harry Brook, Back of a length and around off, Harry Brook dabs it wide of point for a single. |
| 41.4 : Asitha Fernando to Ollie Pope, BEATEN! |
| 41.5 : Asitha Fernando to Ollie Pope, Massive appeal for caught behind, but turned down! The keeper convinces his skipper, DDS to take the review. |
| 41.6 : Asitha Fernando to Ollie Pope, FOUR! Gets it away now! Back of a length and on middle, does not bounce that much, Ollie Pope gets a bit stuck in his crease but still manages to swipe it away, it races through the practice pitches and to the deep mid-wicket fence for a boundary. Pope moves into the 90s now! |
| 42.1 : Lahiru Kumara to Harry Brook, Fuller and around off, Harry Brook opens the face of his bat and drives it through cover-point for a single. |
| 42.2 : Lahiru Kumara to Ollie Pope, FOUR! The skipper is in hurry now to get to the milestone! |
| 42.3 : Lahiru Kumara to Ollie Pope, No run. |
| 0.0 : Halt! That must have stung Pope really hard on the elbow. |
| 42.4 : Lahiru Kumara to Ollie Pope, No run. |
| 42.5 : Lahiru Kumara to Ollie Pope, No run. |
| 42.6 : Lahiru Kumara to Ollie Pope, Length again, on middle, Ollie Pope clips it away towards short mid-wicket. He will have to wait a bit more. |
| 43.1 : Asitha Fernando to Harry Brook, Back of a length and outside off, Harry Brook cuts it away towards deep point for a single. Pope's back on strike now in his nervous 90s! |
| 43.2 : Asitha Fernando to Ollie Pope, Full and outside off, Ollie Pope reaches out for it but mistimes his drive towards short covers. |
| 43.3 : Asitha Fernando to Ollie Pope, He is not able to get away here! Good length and on off, shapes in, Ollie Pope moves across to flick it away but misses and gets hit on the pads. |
| 43.4 : Asitha Fernando to Ollie Pope, Pitched up and outside off again, Ollie Pope once again reaches out for it and this time drills it through the gap at covers for a couple of runs. Pope is on 99 now! |
| 43.5 : Asitha Fernando to Ollie Pope, FOUR! HUNDRED FOR POPE! 7th Test century for him and his first at the Oval! |
| 43.6 : Asitha Fernando to Ollie Pope, No run. |
| 44.1 : Lahiru Kumara to Harry Brook, False stroke! |
| 0.0 : UPDATE - 4.49 pm GMT - Uh, oh! It was inevitable, wasn't it? It has gotten a bit darker with all the floodlights glittering now. The umpire Chris Gaffaney takes the light meter out and after examining the readings, he requests the players to walk off the field and the crowd does not really like it as the park echoes with their boos. Fair to say, not an ideal condition to continue. Well, Sri Lanka would not be too displeased with this as they really need to regroup and restructure their stra |
| UPDATE - 5.11 pm GMT - The conditions don't look quite promising at The Oval. It is heavily overcast, which has persistently been the case for the whole day so far. On the other hand, Australia, the probable favourites in the series, convincingly defeated Scotland in the second T20I at Edinburgh, and clinched the 3-match T20I series, leading by 2-0 now. Australia first notched up a whopping 196, which included a blistering century from Josh Inglis off just 49 deliveries. And while defending th |
| UPDATE - 5.32 pm GMT - And, the inevitable has happened, folks! Considering the deteriorating light conditions at The Oval, Stumps have been officially called for Day 1. Not a pleasing news by any means, but it is mandatory to follow the rule books of the sport. |
| The rain-interrupted Day 1 draws to an unfortunate close. The day began under muggy, overcast skies, conditions that persisted throughout. Sri Lanka won the toss and inserted the hosts to bat first. England's openers set a steady pace in the first hour, with Duckett displaying notable comfort at the crease. In contrast, Lawrence struggled, and his vulnerability outside off-stump was exposed, and he failed to reach double digits. True to their 'Bazball' brand of cricket, England maintained a br |
| Despite conditions that should have favoured seam bowling due to the dampness around, Sri Lanka's pace attack looked surprisingly defensive. They struggled to find their rhythm, rarely troubling the batters with challenging lines and lengths. Nonetheless, Lahiru Kumar managed to break through, claiming the first wicket for Sri Lanka midway through the opening session. Typically, overcast skies and residual moisture on the pitch create challenging conditions for batters, offering bowlers enhan |
| But the play was interrupted as rain and bad light played a spoilsport. After a delay of nearly two hours, play finally resumed, though the first session was abbreviated. Pope and Duckett navigated the testing conditions unbothered, accumulating runs by playing on the merit, maintaining a steady run rate of around 5 runs per over, courtesy of strictly average and wayward bowling. Fell to his own aggression, Ben Duckett, yet again missed his well-deserved century, but again, the Lankan bowlers c |
| Cut to the final session, the situation remained identically struggling for the Sri Lankans. Pope, well settled, mounted a brisk hundred and looked totally unfettered. But, the light conditions didn't permit the play to continue any further. It was a start-stop kind of a day at The Oval and was dwarfed with only 44.1 overs bowled. So, whom does the first day belong to? Any guesses? Do we need to tell? Jokes apart, England has asserted its dominance well and truly and has left Sri Lanka to searc |
| Right then, thatâs a wrap from Day 1 of this final Test match. Coming to Day 2, England, buoyed by their performance, will be eager to capitalize on their momentum and extend their score further. Meanwhile, Sri Lanka faces the challenge of regrouping overnight, aiming to return with renewed determination. The action will resume for Day 2 on Saturday, September 7th, with the first ball scheduled to be bowled at 10 am GMT. Until then, cheers! |
| ... DAY 2, SESSION 1 ... |
| Hello and a very warm welcome to all our viewers joining us for the buildup to Day 2 of this third and final Test match between England and Sri Lanka at The Oval, London. Unfortunately, Day 1 saw limited action due to bad light and some light drizzle. Today, the weather looks cloudy with a slight chance of rain, but weâre hoping for a full day of cricket. |
| England is in a comfortable position, thanks to strong performances from their top-order batsmen. For the first time in this series, the top order has managed to provide a solid start, despite the bowler-friendly conditions. Ben Duckett was in sensational form, scoring a quickfire 86 off 79 balls, playing aggressively and putting pressure back on Sri Lankaâs bowlers. Local favorite Ollie Pope, who had struggled in the previous games, is still unbeaten and has already reached his centuryâa mu |
| On the other hand, Sri Lanka has gone all out with a pace-heavy attack, fielding four main seamers. They have only Kamindu Mendis and captain DDS to offer spin options. However, the big question is whether the spinners can create breakthroughs once the ball gets older, or if the short-ball strategy will be enough to challenge Englandâs lineup. Despite the bowlers getting significant swing on this pitch, they have struggled to contain Englandâs batters so far. The Lankans will need to rethink |
| JUST IN - England fans have received disappointing news as fast bowler Mark Wood will be missing the rest of 2024. Medical scans revealed he has a bone stress injury in his right elbow, which he noticed was getting stiffer and more uncomfortable during the Test series against the West Indies earlier this summer. He also had an injury on his right thigh in the first Test against Sri Lanka at Old Trafford, which is being monitored and managed. As a result, he will miss England's upcoming Test to |
| 44.2 : Lahiru Kumara to Harry Brook, Kumara starts from over the stumps, and lands it on the money, around off and nipping back into the batter. Harry Brook hops on the back foot to punch it to the off side and gets a thick leading edge towards wide gully where Pathum Nissanka dives to his right and intercepts the ball. |
| 0.0 : In all readiness for the action on Day 2 to begin! The two umpires stride out to the middle, followed by the Lankans as they take their positions. Harry Brook and Ollie Pope are on their way to the crease to resume their innings for England. Lahiru Kumara will get the job to start the proceeding for Sri Lanka. Let's play... |
| 44.3 : Lahiru Kumara to Harry Brook, First runs of Day 2 for England! Back of a length to follow again, around off, Harry Brook punches it with soft hands towards deep backward point for a couple of runs. |
| 44.4 : Lahiru Kumara to Harry Brook, OUT! CAUGHT BEHIND! The umpire raises his finger but Harry Brook thinks otherwise and goes upstairs straightaway! |
| 44.5 : Lahiru Kumara to Harry Brook, No run. |
| 44.6 : Lahiru Kumara to Harry Brook, 1 run. |
| 0.0 : Asitha Fernando will be bowling from the other end. |
| 45.1 : Asitha Fernando to Harry Brook, Asitha gets a genuine outswing from outside off on a fuller length, Harry Brook plants his front foot but decides to not have a go at it. |
| 45.2 : Asitha Fernando to Harry Brook, No run. |
| 45.3 : Asitha Fernando to Harry Brook, Some movement again! Outside off on the back of a length, it deviates further away from the batter and Brook leaves. |
| 45.4 : Asitha Fernando to Harry Brook, Over the top of the off peg, on the length, Harry Brook walks down to the track and guides it behind the square towards deep point for a single. |
| 45.5 : Asitha Fernando to Ollie Pope, On a fuller length and away from the off stump. Pope is invited to drive, and he looks to play without footwork and is well beaten on the outside edge. |
| 45.6 : Asitha Fernando to Ollie Pope, Outswing, on a length, outside off, Ollie Pope slashes it with an upright stance through cover-point for an easy couple of runs. Lahiru Kumara does well to do the mop up work running and sliding to his right from deep point. Saves two for his side. |
| A quick change for Sri Lanka as Milan Rathnayake joins the attack. |
| 46.1 : Milan Rathnayake to Harry Brook, DROPPED! Dear, oh dear! Asitha Fernando has put down an absolute sitter! Just about sums up Sri Lanka's condition in this series. That should have been taken! |
| 46.2 : Milan Rathnayake to Harry Brook, 1 run. |
| 46.3 : Milan Rathnayake to Ollie Pope, No run. |
| 46.4 : Milan Rathnayake to Ollie Pope, EDGED AND FOUR! |
| 46.5 : Milan Rathnayake to Ollie Pope, 1 run. |
| 46.6 : Milan Rathnayake to Harry Brook, No run. |
| 47.1 : Asitha Fernando to Ollie Pope, No run. |
| 47.2 : Asitha Fernando to Ollie Pope, Length ball, outside off, Pope drives it towards deep cover for a single. |
| 47.3 : Asitha Fernando to Harry Brook, No run. |
| 47.4 : Asitha Fernando to Harry Brook, Holds on the off stump channel does Asitha Fernando, pulls his length fractionally and it skids quickly off the pitch. Harry Brook dead bats at it and lets it pass. |
| 47.5 : Asitha Fernando to Harry Brook, Over the top of the middle, on the length, Harry Brook gets behind the line and punches it to wide mid on for a quick single. |
| 47.6 : Asitha Fernando to Ollie Pope, 'Two, two. two' is the call and they will get it! Excellent running between the wickets by the two! Back of a length, on the stumps, Ollie Pope walks across a couple of steps to the off stump and nudges it with soft hands towards deep mid-wicket for a couple of runs. |
| 48.1 : Milan Rathnayake to Harry Brook, 1 run. |
| 48.2 : Milan Rathnayake to Ollie Pope, Good length shaping away from outside off, left alone. |
| 48.3 : Milan Rathnayake to Ollie Pope, FOUR! Oh, what a shot that is! Milan Rathnayake goes full and on the off stump line, with a gentle outward deviation, Ollie Pope gets his dancing shoes on and skips down the track, and whips it across the line through the mid-wicket region for a cracking boundary. |
| 48.4 : Milan Rathnayake to Ollie Pope, On the back of a length, outside off, Ollie Pope slashes it hard but finds the fielder at cover. |
| 48.5 : Milan Rathnayake to Ollie Pope, Rathnayake brings the angle much closer this time around as he sees Pope charging down again. Ollie Pope manages to clip it across along the ground to deep mid-wicket for a single. |
| 48.6 : Milan Rathnayake to Harry Brook, Outside off, length, Harry Brook looks to cut it away but is a bit too early on the shot, and almost chops it on getting a thick inside edge. Kicks the ball to the cover region in the end. |
| 49.1 : Asitha Fernando to Ollie Pope, No run. |
| 49.2 : Asitha Fernando to Ollie Pope, Four! |
| 49.3 : Asitha Fernando to Ollie Pope, Shade full and around off, Ollie Pope plants his front leg ahead and drives it straight to cover. |
| 49.4 : Asitha Fernando to Ollie Pope, No run. |
| 49.5 : Asitha Fernando to Ollie Pope, No run. |
| 49.6 : Asitha Fernando to Ollie Pope, Hard length again, outside off, Pope punches it to cover-point. |
| 50.1 : Milan Rathnayake to Harry Brook, Gentle outswing outside off, Harry Brook eases it off the thickish outside edge to th second slip. |
| 50.2 : Milan Rathnayake to Harry Brook, 1 run. |
| 50.3 : Milan Rathnayake to Ollie Pope, Fuller and with a bit of a movement at off, Ollie Pope responds with a solid front foot defence. |
| 50.4 : Milan Rathnayake to Ollie Pope, An appeal for LBW but 'No' says the umpire, Joel Wilson! |
| 50.5 : Milan Rathnayake to Ollie Pope, 2 runs. |
| 50.6 : Milan Rathnayake to Ollie Pope, No run. |
| 51.1 : Asitha Fernando to Harry Brook, That's a peach of a delivery! |
| 51.2 : Asitha Fernando to Harry Brook, 1 run. |
| 51.3 : Asitha Fernando to Ollie Pope, 2 runs. |
| 51.4 : Asitha Fernando to Ollie Pope, No run. |
| 51.5 : Asitha Fernando to Ollie Pope, FOUR! Goes through that gap again! Sri Lanka needs to rethink their slip positions. |
| 51.6 : Asitha Fernando to Ollie Pope, Overpitched and just outside off, Ollie Pope reaches out for it and drills it away, the fielder at short covers gets a hand to it to reduce the momentum. A half-stop you can say. The batters crosses for a double. |
| 52.1 : Milan Rathnayake to Harry Brook, Milan Rathnayake hits the length hard and around off, nips away a bit, Harry Brook plays well inside the line of it and the ball goes through to the keeper. |
| 51.6 : Not really sure, but Dhananjaya de Silva is having a word with the on-field umpire. |
| 52.2 : Milan Rathnayake to Harry Brook, Sign of aggression again! Back of a length and outside off, shapes away, Harry Brook charges down the track and throws his bat at it, but fails to connect. |
| 52.3 : Milan Rathnayake to Harry Brook, Goes fuller now, on middle and off, Harry Brook steers it towards gully. |
| 52.4 : Milan Rathnayake to Harry Brook, OUT! BRILLIANTLY TAKEN! Milan Rathnayake gets another important breakthrough for Sri Lanka. |
| 52.5 : Milan Rathnayake to Jamie Smith, No run. |
| 0.0 : Jamie Smith walks in at number 6 for England. Joins his fellow Surrey man and his skipper, Pope. |
| 52.6 : Milan Rathnayake to Jamie Smith, No run. |
| 53.1 : Asitha Fernando to Ollie Pope, Fuller and angling into the pads, Ollie Pope flicks it through square leg for a single. |
| 53.2 : Asitha Fernando to Jamie Smith, Full again and on off, shapes away a touch, Jamie Smith tries to play it but gets an outside edge along the ground towards gully. |
| 53.3 : Asitha Fernando to Jamie Smith, Pulls his length back a bit, on off, Jamie Smith stays back and blocks it out. |
| 53.4 : Asitha Fernando to Jamie Smith, Pitched up and on the sixth stump line, Jamie Smith strides out and pushes it towards short covers. |
| 53.5 : Asitha Fernando to Jamie Smith, Back of a length and on off, Jamie Smith hops up a bit and keeps it out to the off side. |
| 53.6 : Asitha Fernando to Jamie Smith, Hard length and outside off, Jamie Smith opens the bat face and steers it through point for a run and gets off the mark. |
| 54.1 : Lahiru Kumara to Jamie Smith, Lahiru Kumara bowls this on a good length and on off, Jamie Smith pats it away on the back foot as it rolls towards mid off. |
| 54.2 : Lahiru Kumara to Jamie Smith, BEATEN! Lahiru Kumara serves this full and around off, nips away slightly, but it is enough to beat the outside edge of Smith who goes for the big drive. |
| 54.3 : Lahiru Kumara to Jamie Smith, On a length and on off, Jamie Smith taps it out toward short covers. Lahiru Kumara is consistently blowing on good lines now. |
| 54.4 : Lahiru Kumara to Jamie Smith, Short of a length and on off, angles in, Jamie Smith stays back and blocks it out. |
| 54.5 : Lahiru Kumara to Jamie Smith, Good stop! Overpitched and on off, Jamie Smith drives it away firmly wide of mid off, DDS dives to his right and makes a fine one-handed stop. |
| 54.6 : Lahiru Kumara to Jamie Smith, Back of a length and angling into the body of the batter, Jamie Smith pulls it away towards fine leg for a single. |
| 55.1 : Milan Rathnayake to Jamie Smith, On a length and around off, Jamie Smith guides it towards deep point for a single. |
| 55.2 : Milan Rathnayake to Ollie Pope, A bit fuller this time, on middle, Ollie Pope watches it through and blocks it out on te pitch. |
| 55.3 : Milan Rathnayake to Ollie Pope, EDGED AND FOUR! Milan Rathnayake lands this back of a length and just outside off, Ollie Pope tries to cut it away, but gets an outside edge, and can you guess where this one goes? Yes, exactly between that gap between the wide first slip and gully for a boundary. |
| 55.4 : Milan Rathnayake to Ollie Pope, No run. |
| 55.5 : Milan Rathnayake to Ollie Pope, Full again and around off now, Ollie Pope steers it away towards gully. |
| 55.6 : Milan Rathnayake to Ollie Pope, Short of a length and on middle, Ollie Pope keeps it out to the leg side. |
| 56.1 : Lahiru Kumara to Jamie Smith, FOUR! Fortuitous! |
| 56.2 : Lahiru Kumara to Jamie Smith, No run. |
| 56.3 : Lahiru Kumara to Jamie Smith, No run. |
| 56.4 : Lahiru Kumara to Jamie Smith, Good length and on off, Jamie Smith steers it through point for a single. |
| 56.5 : Lahiru Kumara to Ollie Pope, Length again, on middle, straightens a bit, Ollie Pope looks to work it away but gets a bit squared up as it pops up off the leading edge and lands well before covers. |
| 56.6 : Lahiru Kumara to Ollie Pope, Short of a length and around off, Ollie Pope stabs it down on the ground, point dives to his left but fails to stop it and the batters get a double. |
| 0.0 : Vishwa Fernando (7-0-29-0) has been brought into the attack from the Vauxhall end. He replaces Milan Rathnayake. |
| 57.1 : Vishwa Fernando to Jamie Smith, Leg bye. |
| 57.2 : Vishwa Fernando to Ollie Pope, No run. |
| 57.3 : Vishwa Fernando to Ollie Pope, 1 run. |
| 57.4 : Vishwa Fernando to Jamie Smith, 1 run. |
| 57.5 : Vishwa Fernando to Ollie Pope, Four! |
| 57.6 : Vishwa Fernando to Ollie Pope, Swinging down the leg side, on the back of a length, Ollie Pope goes for a leg glance but misses. The ball brushes off the thigh pad and carries to the keeper. |
| 58.1 : Lahiru Kumara to Jamie Smith, No run. |
| 58.2 : Lahiru Kumara to Jamie Smith, No run. |
| 58.3 : Lahiru Kumara to Jamie Smith, No run. |
| 58.4 : Lahiru Kumara to Jamie Smith, FOUR! EDGED, GAP AND FOUR! |
| 58.5 : Lahiru Kumara to Jamie Smith, 1 run. |
| 58.6 : Lahiru Kumara to Ollie Pope, No run. |
| 0.0 : Drinks! Well, fair to say, the Sri Lankans have come out much improved as compared to the first day. But, luck hasn't quite been with them. They have done everything right, by bowling fuller and allowing the ball to curve and deviate. A lot of inside edges and close calls prove that the English batters tried to unsettle the bowlers and negate the swing. Harry Brook looked uncomfortable and tried to go aggressive and lost his wicket. |
| 59.1 : Vishwa Fernando to Jamie Smith, Vishwa Fernando, the southpaw of Sri Lanka, comes from 'over the wicket and bowls fuller on middle and off. Jamie Smith prods and defends it towards the cover region. |
| 59.2 : Vishwa Fernando to Jamie Smith, Pitched up, on off, shaping away. Jamie Smith lunges and slightly opens the face of the bat while performing the drive to guide the ball towards deep cover-point. A couple of runs. taken in between. |
| 59.3 : Vishwa Fernando to Jamie Smith, Play and a miss! |
| 59.4 : Vishwa Fernando to Jamie Smith, No run. |
| 59.5 : Vishwa Fernando to Jamie Smith, Pitched up, on off. Jamie Smith drives it towards the cover region. |
| 59.6 : Vishwa Fernando to Jamie Smith, OUT! c Kusal Mendis b Vishwa Fernando. |
| 60.1 : Dhananjaya de Silva to Ollie Pope, No run. |
| 0.0 : Chris Woakes comes out to the middle now. We will see some spin now as skipper, Dhananjaya de Silva brings himself into the attack. |
| 60.2 : Dhananjaya de Silva to Ollie Pope, 1 run. |
| 60.3 : Dhananjaya de Silva to Chris Woakes, 1 run. |
| 60.4 : Dhananjaya de Silva to Ollie Pope, No run. |
| 60.5 : Dhananjaya de Silva to Ollie Pope, No run. |
| 60.6 : Dhananjaya de Silva to Ollie Pope, Fullish, and just outside off. Ollie Pope punches it toward wide of long off and gets a couple of runs. |
| 61.1 : Vishwa Fernando to Chris Woakes, On a length on leg and middle. Chris Woakes rocks back and hops a bit to tuck it towards right of the short mid-wicket fielder for a single. |
| 61.2 : Vishwa Fernando to Ollie Pope, No run. |
| 61.3 : Vishwa Fernando to Ollie Pope, 2 runs. |
| 61.4 : Vishwa Fernando to Ollie Pope, Hard-length delivery on off, shaping it away. Ollie Pope goes for the cut but gets beaten on the outer edge. |
| 61.5 : Vishwa Fernando to Ollie Pope, 1 run. |
| 61.6 : Vishwa Fernando to Chris Woakes, No run. |
| 62.1 : Dhananjaya de Silva to Ollie Pope, 1 run. |
| 62.2 : Dhananjaya de Silva to Chris Woakes, OUT! c Milan Rathnayake b Dhananjaya de Silva. |
| 62.3 : Dhananjaya de Silva to Gus Atkinson, No run. |
| 62.4 : Dhananjaya de Silva to Gus Atkinson, 1 run. |
| 0.0 : Gus Atkinson, the centurion from the previous Test walks out to bat now. |
| 62.5 : Dhananjaya de Silva to Ollie Pope, 1 run. |
| 62.6 : Dhananjaya de Silva to Gus Atkinson, No run. |
| 63.1 : Vishwa Fernando to Ollie Pope, Across off on a length, Ollie Pope slashes it away to deep point for a single. |
| 63.2 : Vishwa Fernando to Gus Atkinson, On the leg stump line, at the pads, Gus Atkinson blocks it off the back foot. |
| 63.3 : Vishwa Fernando to Gus Atkinson, Peach! |
| 63.4 : Vishwa Fernando to Gus Atkinson, No run. |
| 63.5 : Vishwa Fernando to Gus Atkinson, Beauty! That in-between length, around off, deviating fractionally away from the batter. Gus Atkinson is squared up and gets beaten on the outside edge. |
| 63.6 : Vishwa Fernando to Gus Atkinson, Too full and outside off, Gus Atkinson attempts the expansive cover drive by extending his arms. Finds Angelo Mathews at cover who parries the ball to the deep and allows a single. |
| 64.1 : Dhananjaya de Silva to Gus Atkinson, Tossed up, pushed through on leg, Gus Atkinson tries to push it to the leg side but wears it on the pads. |
| 64.2 : Dhananjaya de Silva to Gus Atkinson, There comes the reverse sweep! Full and on off, Gus Atkinson reverse sweeps off the leading edge. The ball lands behind short third and they cross for the double. |
| 64.3 : Dhananjaya de Silva to Gus Atkinson, Short of a length on the pads, this tucked in the square leg region for a single. |
| 64.4 : Dhananjaya de Silva to Ollie Pope, Full on the middle stump, Ollie Pope drives it to the wide of mid off, and takes a single. |
| 64.5 : Dhananjaya de Silva to Gus Atkinson, OUT! IN THE AIR AND TAKEN! Sri Lankan skipper, DDS strikes now and England have now lost three quick wickets with the tail exposed. |
| 0.0 : Olly Stone is the next man in. |
| 64.6 : Dhananjaya de Silva to Olly Stone, No run. |
| 65.1 : Vishwa Fernando to Ollie Pope, OUT! IN THE AIR AND TAKEN AGAIN! This time, it's the English skipper, Ollie Pope who tried to take the aggressive route but holes out. Sri Lanka, right back in the game now. |
| 0.0 : Josh Hull, the debutant comes out to the middle now. |
| 65.2 : Vishwa Fernando to Josh Hull, No run. |
| 65.3 : Vishwa Fernando to Josh Hull, No run. |
| 65.4 : Vishwa Fernando to Josh Hull, No run. |
| 65.5 : Vishwa Fernando to Josh Hull, Back of a length and wide outside off. Hull lets it be. |
| 65.6 : Vishwa Fernando to Josh Hull, No run. |
| 66.1 : Dhananjaya de Silva to Olly Stone, Pushed through, floated full on the stumps, Olly Stone defends it with a good forward stride. |
| 66.2 : Dhananjaya de Silva to Olly Stone, FOUR! Gets off the mark in style does Olly Stone! Too full and there to be hit, on the middle, Olly Stone strides out for a sweep, gets on his knee and sweeps it nicely along the ground, past square leg for a boundary. |
| 66.3 : Dhananjaya de Silva to Olly Stone, No run. |
| 66.4 : Dhananjaya de Silva to Olly Stone, 2 runs. |
| 66.5 : Dhananjaya de Silva to Olly Stone, No run. |
| 66.6 : Dhananjaya de Silva to Olly Stone, 1 run. |
| 67.1 : Vishwa Fernando to Olly Stone, No run. |
| 67.2 : Vishwa Fernando to Olly Stone, At the pads on a good length, Olly Stone glances it to wide square leg for a quick single. |
| 67.3 : Vishwa Fernando to Josh Hull, 2 runs. |
| 67.4 : Vishwa Fernando to Josh Hull, Back of a length, and outside off, Josh Hull eases it to the off side. |
| 67.5 : Vishwa Fernando to Josh Hull, At off, on a nagging length, Josh Hull swats it away to the mid off region. The fielder at the mentioned position dives to his left and intercepts the ball. |
| 67.6 : Vishwa Fernando to Josh Hull, Short and wide of off, Josh Hull swings and misses. |
| 68.1 : Asitha Fernando to Olly Stone, Length ball, outside off, Olly Stone responds with a crisp back foot square cut towards deep point. Jogs for a single. |
| 68.2 : Asitha Fernando to Josh Hull, OUT! c Dhananjaya de Silva b Asitha Fernando. |
| 0.0 : Shoaib Bashir is the last man in. This may be the last over before Lunch, but if a wicket does not fall here, the umpires will surely extend this session. |
| 68.3 : Asitha Fernando to Shoaib Bashir, No run. |
| 68.4 : Asitha Fernando to Shoaib Bashir, 1 run. |
| 68.5 : Asitha Fernando to Olly Stone, Six! |
| 68.6 : Asitha Fernando to Olly Stone, Asitha follows the batter as Stone shuffles outside leg, pitches it outside leg and on the hard length, Olly Stone is cramped up for room and just about manages to tap it to the leg side. |
| 69.1 : Milan Rathnayake to Shoaib Bashir, OUT! IN THE AIR AND TAKEN! A momentous collapse for England and Sri Lanka have managed to sneak back in the contest after a dismal outing on the first day. Milan Rathnayake bowls it on the back of a length, around off, it springs off the deck a bit and comes high on the batter. Shoaib Bashir clears his front leg and tries to play a wild heave across the line, but as the ball gets heavier on him, he ends up slicing it off the high end of the bat. The bal |
| 0.0 : Sri Lanka wraps England up for 325 here! They have been pretty much on the money from the start of Day 2 and kept the pressure on the batters. After a forgettable Day 1 where they conceded 221 runs in just 45 overs of play, this has been a remarkable turnaround for them. The pacers did the job excellently here with Milan Rathnayake sitting on top with three wickets while Vishwa Fernando and Lahiru Kumara chipped in with a couple of wickets each. |
| England, on the other hand, will be a bit disappointed as they would have hoped for something near or over 400 after the start that they got. However, we have seen them collapse like this earlier in the summer as well. Ollie Pope was the mainstay for the hosts who notched up his 7th hundred in Tests. |
| ... SECOND INNINGS ... |
| We are back! |
| 0.1 : Chris Woakes to Pathum Nissanka, Chris Woakes scoots from 'over the wicket and bowls fuller, just outside off. Pathum Nissanka with not much footwork defends it down. |
| 0.2 : Chris Woakes to Pathum Nissanka, Pathum Nissanka gets off the mark! Pitches it up, on middle, shaping it in. Pathum Nissanka closes his willow and flicks it towards fine leg and gets a single. |
| 0.3 : Chris Woakes to Dimuth Karunaratne, Loud roar from England for LBW but umpire seems uninterested! |
| 0.4 : Chris Woakes to Dimuth Karunaratne, No run. |
| 0.5 : Chris Woakes to Dimuth Karunaratne, No run. |
| 0.6 : Chris Woakes to Dimuth Karunaratne, On a length outside off Dimuth Karunaratne blocks it back to the bowler. And that will be LUNCH on DAY 2! |
| 0.0 : SESSION SUMMARY -Â 105 runs and 7 wickets in 25.1 overs! AÂ pretty eventful first session on Day 2! Have to say, Sri Lanka's day so far. They bowled much better and with more discipline as well. They got their rewards even though they spilled a couple of chances, but ultimately will be happy going into the break. |
| It was prominent that the ball was swinging way more than it did on Day 1. The Lankan pacers exploited the conditions better and kept consistent pressure on the batters. Harry Brook was the first victim as the 70-run stand between him and Pope was broken. Jamie Smith played a couple of good shots but ended up hitting one straight to the fielder. The lower order also could not provide much support to the skipper, who too perished on 154 trying to up the ante. Olly Stone contributed a few impor |
| Sri Lanka had to come out to bat for just one over, and almost lost Dimuth Karunaratne, but the openers managed to survive that. The conditions are really good for bowling now, and the hosts will be looking for early inroads after Lunch while the Lankans will hope that they can build a few partnerships and build on the good job done by the bowlers. Join us in 40 minutes or so for all the exciting action in the second session which begins at 12.55 pm GMT. |
| ... DAY 2, SESSION 2 ... |
| Welcome back for the second session! The umpires are punctual and so are the English players who take their respective field positions. Dimuth Karunaratne and Pathum Nissanka to resume their innings for Sri Lanka. Gus Atkinson with four slips and a gully is raring to go. Let's play... |
| 1.1 : Gus Atkinson to Pathum Nissanka, My goodness! Straight away a bumper form Gus Atkinson! |
| 1.2 : Gus Atkinson to Pathum Nissanka, No run. |
| 1.3 : Gus Atkinson to Pathum Nissanka, Four! |
| 1.4 : Gus Atkinson to Pathum Nissanka, Hard-length delivery on off. Pathum Nissanka rides the bounce and pats it down. |
| 1.5 : Gus Atkinson to Pathum Nissanka, No run. |
| 1.6 : Gus Atkinson to Pathum Nissanka, Fuller and just outside off. Pathum Nissanka taps it towards the gap of the cover region and gets a single. |
| Chris Woakes to operate from the other end for England. |
| 2.1 : Chris Woakes to Pathum Nissanka, Chris Woakes comes from 'over the wicket and sprays fuller, down the leg. Pathum Nissanka looks to flick at it but misses. |
| 2.2 : Chris Woakes to Pathum Nissanka, Fuller delivery on middle. Pathum Nissanka eases it towards the mid-wicket region. The short square leg fielder tracks back and has a shy towards the non-striker's end but Shoaib Bashir fails to provide a firm backup. The ball further rolls towards deep cover and the batters gets a couple in the middle. |
| 2.3 : Chris Woakes to Pathum Nissanka, Four! |
| 2.4 : Chris Woakes to Pathum Nissanka, FOUR! Streaky, but it will work for Sri Lanka! |
| 2.5 : Chris Woakes to Pathum Nissanka, No run. |
| 2.6 : Chris Woakes to Pathum Nissanka, 3 runs. |
| 3.1 : Gus Atkinson to Pathum Nissanka, No run. |
| 3.2 : Gus Atkinson to Pathum Nissanka, 1 run. |
| 3.3 : Gus Atkinson to Dimuth Karunaratne, No run. |
| 3.4 : Gus Atkinson to Dimuth Karunaratne, Fuller just outside off. Dimuth Karunaratne eases it back to the bowler. |
| 3.5 : Gus Atkinson to Dimuth Karunaratne, No run. |
| 3.6 : Gus Atkinson to Dimuth Karunaratne, On a length on middle and leg. Dimuth Karunaratne pushes it towards cover for no runs. |
| 4.1 : Chris Woakes to Pathum Nissanka, 1 run. |
| 4.2 : Chris Woakes to Dimuth Karunaratne, Over throw once again! |
| 4.3 : Chris Woakes to Dimuth Karunaratne, Four! |
| 4.4 : Chris Woakes to Dimuth Karunaratne, No run. |
| 4.5 : Chris Woakes to Dimuth Karunaratne, No run. |
| 4.6 : Chris Woakes to Dimuth Karunaratne, No run. |
| 5.1 : Gus Atkinson to Pathum Nissanka, Fuller just outside off. Pathum Nissanka pushes it towards long off and gets a couple of runs. |
| 5.2 : Gus Atkinson to Pathum Nissanka, 1 run. |
| 5.3 : Gus Atkinson to Dimuth Karunaratne, Pitched up, fuller just outside off. Dimuth Karunaratne attempts a drive but misses once again. |
| 5.4 : Gus Atkinson to Dimuth Karunaratne, 3 runs. |
| 5.5 : Gus Atkinson to Pathum Nissanka, 1 run. |
| 5.6 : Gus Atkinson to Dimuth Karunaratne, No run. |
| Halt! |
| 6.1 : Chris Woakes to Pathum Nissanka, Full and on off. Pathum Nissanka prods and defends it towards his off side. |
| 6.2 : Chris Woakes to Pathum Nissanka, OUT! run out (Olly Stone). |
| 0.0 : Kusal Mendis is in at number 3. Now, the English skipper Ollie Pope is having a detailed discussion with the on-field umpire. Chris Gaffaney deems that the light is not safe enough for the seamers to continue. And in a surprising turn of events, Chris Woakes does hold the ball and guess what? He will be operating with off spin for the rest of the over. |
| 6.3 : Chris Woakes to Kusal Mendis, Chris Woakes jogs from 'over the wicket and darts short of a length on off. Kusal Mendis pulls it towards deep mid-wicket and ges a single. |
| 6.4 : Chris Woakes to Pathum Nissanka, No run. |
| 6.5 : Chris Woakes to Pathum Nissanka, FOUR! Pathum Nissanka is getting the advantage of the situation! |
| 6.6 : Chris Woakes to Pathum Nissanka, Short and on off. Pathum Nissanka punches it towards deep point and gets another single. |
| 7.1 : Gus Atkinson to Pathum Nissanka, So, it seems the light has improved! Gus Atkinson steams in from 'over the wicket, lands this on a good length, on middle, Pathum Nissanka prods forward and blocks it out. |
| 7.2 : Gus Atkinson to Pathum Nissanka, 2 runs. |
| 7.3 : Gus Atkinson to Pathum Nissanka, FOUR! Easy pickings! Gus Atkinson serves this too straight and too full, angling into the pads, Pathum Nissanka picks it up nicely and glances it away towards the fine leg fence for a comfortable boundary. |
| 7.4 : Gus Atkinson to Pathum Nissanka, On a length and around middle, Pathum Nissanka clips it away towards square leg for a single. |
| 7.5 : Gus Atkinson to Kusal Mendis, Tip and run! Back of a length and on off, Kusal Mendis taps it in front of point for a quick run. |
| 7.6 : Gus Atkinson to Pathum Nissanka, Pitched up, on middle, shaping in, Pathum Nissanka looks to block it out but gets an inside edge along the ground towards short leg. |
| . |
| 8.1 : Chris Woakes to Kusal Mendis, No more off-spins for Chris Woakes! He bowls this on a good length and around off, Kusal Mendis pats it out towards short covers. |
| 8.2 : Chris Woakes to Kusal Mendis, Hits the length hard, on middle, Kusal Mendis stays back and pats it down past short leg. |
| 8.3 : Chris Woakes to Kusal Mendis, Good length and on middle again, Kusal Mendis gets behind the line of it and blocks it down the pitch. |
| 8.4 : Chris Woakes to Kusal Mendis, FOUR! Kusal Mendis gets going now! Fuller from Chris Woakes, on middle, shaping in, Kusal Mendis turns the face of the bat nicely and flicks it away with good timing, it races away through mid-wicket for a boundary. |
| 8.5 : Chris Woakes to Kusal Mendis, No run. |
| 8.6 : Chris Woakes to Kusal Mendis, BEAUTY! Chris Woakes finds the perfect length, not full enough for a drive, not short enough as well, Kusal Mendis gets stuck on his crease and has a poke at it, this one shapes away with bounce and just goes past te outside edge. |
| 9.1 : Gus Atkinson to Pathum Nissanka, Four! |
| 9.2 : Gus Atkinson to Pathum Nissanka, No run. |
| 9.3 : Gus Atkinson to Pathum Nissanka, 1 run. |
| 9.4 : Gus Atkinson to Kusal Mendis, Short again and on off, extra bounce this time, Kusal Mendis hops up and adjusts well to keep it down on the off side. |
| 9.5 : Gus Atkinson to Kusal Mendis, FOUR! Sri Lanka are playing with freedom here! Gus Atkinson bangs this into the pitch and outside off, Kusal Mendis accepts the width on offer and slashes hard at it, gets a thick outside edge that flies over gully for a boundary. England getting a taste of their own medicine! |
| 9.6 : Gus Atkinson to Kusal Mendis, No run. |
| 10.1 : Chris Woakes to Pathum Nissanka, Fuller and on off, angling in, Pathum Nissanka stays in his crease and blocks it out. |
| 10.2 : Chris Woakes to Pathum Nissanka, Fuller again and on middle, Pathum Nissanka clips it away through mid-wicket for a brace. |
| 10.3 : Chris Woakes to Pathum Nissanka, Good cricket all around! |
| 10.4 : Chris Woakes to Kusal Mendis, Four! |
| 10.5 : Chris Woakes to Kusal Mendis, OUT! c Harry Brook b Chris Woakes. |
| 0.0 : The Sri Lankan veteran, Angelo Mathews walks in at number 4. |
| 10.6 : Chris Woakes to Angelo Mathews, Back of a length and outside off, Angelo Mathews leaves it alone. |
| 11.1 : Josh Hull to Pathum Nissanka, No run. |
| 10.6 : The Oval echoes in applauding as the debutant, Josh Hull is now introduced into the attack. |
| 11.2 : Josh Hull to Pathum Nissanka, Much better! Goes full again and on middle, shaping in, Pathum Nissanka watches it through and blocks it out. Hull will try to swing it into the right-handed here. |
| 11.3 : Josh Hull to Pathum Nissanka, No run. |
| 11.4 : Josh Hull to Pathum Nissanka, FOUR! FIFTY FOR NISSANKA! |
| 11.5 : Josh Hull to Pathum Nissanka, 1 run. |
| 11.6 : Josh Hull to Angelo Mathews, Short of a length and around off, Angelo Mathews steers it through point for one. A decent first over from the youngster. |
| 12.1 : Chris Woakes to Angelo Mathews, No run. |
| 12.2 : Chris Woakes to Angelo Mathews, Back of a length and on middle, Angelo Mathews pats it down just past short leg. |
| 12.3 : Chris Woakes to Angelo Mathews, Fuller and on middle, angling in, Angelo Mathews turns it into short leg, he is outside his crease for a brief moment as the fielder has a shy at the batter's end. He made it back anyway. |
| 12.4 : Chris Woakes to Angelo Mathews, On a length and on off, Angelo Mathews guides it towards point for a single. |
| 12.5 : Chris Woakes to Pathum Nissanka, Pitched up but down the leg side, Pathum Nissanka looks flick it away but misses. |
| 12.6 : Chris Woakes to Pathum Nissanka, Much fuller, on middle, shaping in, Pathum Nissanka blocks it out solidly down the pitch. |
| 13.1 : Josh Hull to Angelo Mathews, Hull continues from over the stumps, lands it full and outside off, Angelo Mathews pats his front foot ahead and drills it to long off for a single. |
| 13.2 : Josh Hull to Pathum Nissanka, No run. |
| 13.3 : Josh Hull to Pathum Nissanka, Four! |
| 13.4 : Josh Hull to Pathum Nissanka, Length on the middle stump, Nissanka blocks it to short leg. |
| 13.5 : Josh Hull to Pathum Nissanka, Angles it in, on the fuller length, at middle, Pathum Nissanka turns it with a flick along the ground and off the inner half of the bat towards deep square leg for a single. |
| 13.6 : Josh Hull to Angelo Mathews, No run. |
| 14.1 : Olly Stone to Pathum Nissanka, 3 runs. |
| 14.2 : Olly Stone to Angelo Mathews, No run. |
| 14.3 : Olly Stone to Angelo Mathews, No run. |
| 14.4 : Olly Stone to Angelo Mathews, OUT! c Ollie Pope b Olly Stone. |
| 0.0 : Drinks! Olly Stone is having a great session here, first, he enforced the run out and now gets the experienced Angelo Mathews as well. Sri Lanka have batted aggressively here but they have lost three wickets now and someone needs to provide support to Pathum Nissanka who has already crossed his fifty. England knows that this is the time they can attack a bit more and will be hoping to pick up a couple more before the end of this session. |
| 14.5 : Olly Stone to Dinesh Chandimal, Much fuller on middle. Dimuth Karunaratne with no footwork eases it towards his leg side. |
| 14.6 : Olly Stone to Dinesh Chandimal, Full-length delivery just outside off. Dinesh Chandimal blocks it back to the bowler. |
| 15.1 : Josh Hull to Pathum Nissanka, Hull bowls it on a length, outside off, Pathum Nissanka hops on the bounce and punches it solidly to pierce the cover-point gap but finds the man at point who moves to his left and intercepts the ball. |
| 15.2 : Josh Hull to Pathum Nissanka, FOUR! This time he cuts, and cuts it firmly, does Nissanka! Josh Hull bowls it just outside off, on a good length, not too much of width on offer, but Nissanka trusts his square cut and goes through and pins the cover-point gap through backward point off the back foot for a boundary. |
| 15.3 : Josh Hull to Pathum Nissanka, WIDE! That over-the-head-bumper from Hull. Pathum Nissanka lets it pass. Wide called. |
| 0.0 : Who walks out now? |
| 15.3 : Josh Hull to Pathum Nissanka, OUT! TAKEN! What a special moment for Josh Hull. First Test wicket for him and he is all pumped up! |
| 15.4 : Josh Hull to Dhananjaya de Silva, No run. |
| 15.5 : Josh Hull to Dhananjaya de Silva, Full and outside off, Dhananjaya de Silva drives this through extra cover for a couple of runs. |
| 15.6 : Josh Hull to Dhananjaya de Silva, No run. |
| 16.1 : Olly Stone to Dinesh Chandimal, Fuller one, on middle, Dinesh Chandimal tucks it past short leg. |
| 16.2 : Olly Stone to Dinesh Chandimal, OUT! LBW! Olly Stone gets another in consecutive overs! |
| 16.3 : Olly Stone to Kamindu Mendis, No run. |
| 0.0 : Kamindu Mendis is in at number 7. |
| 16.4 : Olly Stone to Kamindu Mendis, No run. |
| 16.5 : Olly Stone to Kamindu Mendis, Short of a length and on the fifth stump line, takes off a bit, Kamindu Mendis stays back to keep it out but misses and takes one on the upper body. |
| 16.6 : Olly Stone to Kamindu Mendis, Wicket-maiden! Touch fuller and on off again, Kamindu Mendis pats it back towards the bowler. |
| 17.1 : Josh Hull to Dhananjaya de Silva, On a length and around leg, Dhananjaya de Silva clips it a bit uppishly but well wide of short square leg for a single. |
| 17.2 : Josh Hull to Kamindu Mendis, Length again, on off, Kamindu Mendis opens the bat face and guides it wide of point for a run. |
| 17.3 : Josh Hull to Dhananjaya de Silva, Back of a length and on middle, gets some extra bounce, Dhananjaya de Silva rides the bounce and keeps it out on the pitch with his bottom hand coming off the bat. |
| 17.4 : Josh Hull to Dhananjaya de Silva, Josh Hull bangs in a bouncer now, outside off at 129 clicks, Dhananjaya de Silva leaves it alone. |
| 17.5 : Josh Hull to Dhananjaya de Silva, Goes fuller and on middle, shaping into the pads, Dhananjaya de Silva flicks it away wide of deep square leg for a brace. |
| 17.6 : Josh Hull to Dhananjaya de Silva, Pitched up again, on leg, Dhananjaya de Silva misses his flick and gets hit on the pads. |
| 18.1 : Olly Stone to Kamindu Mendis, No run. |
| 18.2 : Olly Stone to Kamindu Mendis, BEAUTY! |
| 18.3 : Olly Stone to Kamindu Mendis, FOUR! Top shot! |
| 18.4 : Olly Stone to Kamindu Mendis, Har length and on off, Kamindu Mendis keeps it out to the off side. |
| 18.5 : Olly Stone to Kamindu Mendis, FOUR MORE! Olly Stone lands this back of a length but a bit outside off, Kusal Mendis uses the width on offer, gets on top of it and crunches it through covers for another boundary. |
| 18.6 : Olly Stone to Kamindu Mendis, FOUR! Third one of the over! |
| 19.1 : Josh Hull to Dhananjaya de Silva, 1 run. |
| 19.2 : Josh Hull to Kamindu Mendis, On a length and on off, Kamindu Mendis pushes it towards covers. |
| 19.3 : Josh Hull to Kamindu Mendis, Length again, on middle, gets it to nip away, Kamindu Mendis stays in his crease and keeps it out to the off side. |
| 19.4 : Josh Hull to Kamindu Mendis, A full toss on the pads, Kamindu Mendis nudges it away wide of deep square leg for a couple of runs. |
| 19.5 : Josh Hull to Kamindu Mendis, Back of a length but down the leg side, Kamindu Mendis fails to glance it away. |
| 19.6 : Josh Hull to Kamindu Mendis, Good length now, on the sixth stump line, Kamindu Mendis guides it towards backward point. |
| 20.1 : Olly Stone to Dhananjaya de Silva, Fuller in length, on middle, shaping in, Dhananjaya de Silva blocks it out from his crease. |
| 20.2 : Olly Stone to Dhananjaya de Silva, Pulls his length back slightly, on off, Dhananjaya de Silva gets behind the line of it and fends it away. |
| 20.3 : Olly Stone to Dhananjaya de Silva, FOUR! Great shot! |
| 20.4 : Olly Stone to Dhananjaya de Silva, Back of length and on middle, shapes in sharply, Dhananjaya de Silva is not expecting that length, hops up to keep it out, but misses and takes one on his ribs. |
| 20.5 : Olly Stone to Dhananjaya de Silva, Short of a length and around off, Dhananjaya de Silva dabs it wide of point for one. |
| 20.6 : Olly Stone to Kamindu Mendis, 3 runs. |
| 0.0 : Halt! |
| 21.1 : Gus Atkinson to Kamindu Mendis, Gus Atkinson hits the length hard and on middle, Kamindu Mendis stays back in his crease and blocks it out. |
| 21.2 : Gus Atkinson to Kamindu Mendis, 3 runs. |
| 21.3 : Gus Atkinson to Dhananjaya de Silva, No run. |
| 21.4 : Gus Atkinson to Dhananjaya de Silva, No run. |
| 21.5 : Gus Atkinson to Dhananjaya de Silva, No run. |
| 21.6 : Gus Atkinson to Dhananjaya de Silva, Back of a length outside the off stump. This is punched to the gully region. |
| 22.1 : Olly Stone to Kamindu Mendis, Olly Stone comes 'round the wicket and bowls fuller and just outside off to the left-hander. Kamindu Mendis strides out and blocks it towards the cover region. |
| 22.2 : Olly Stone to Kamindu Mendis, Short one now, on off and angling in towards the middle. Kamindu Mendis rides the bounce and dabs it towards square leg and gets a single. |
| 22.3 : Olly Stone to Dhananjaya de Silva, FOUR! SHORT AND PUNISHED! |
| 22.4 : Olly Stone to Dhananjaya de Silva, No run. |
| 22.5 : Olly Stone to Dhananjaya de Silva, Fires a short delivery just outside off. Dhananjaya de Silva hangs back and taps it towards backward point. |
| 22.6 : Olly Stone to Dhananjaya de Silva, Another bouncer, just outside off. Dhananjaya de Silva decides to leave this one. |
| 23.1 : Gus Atkinson to Kamindu Mendis, Short of a length and around off, Kamindu Mendis dabs it down towards point. |
| 23.2 : Gus Atkinson to Kamindu Mendis, No run. |
| 23.3 : Gus Atkinson to Kamindu Mendis, No run. |
| 23.4 : Gus Atkinson to Kamindu Mendis, No run. |
| 23.5 : Gus Atkinson to Kamindu Mendis, No run. |
| 23.6 : Gus Atkinson to Kamindu Mendis, No run. |
| Change. |
| 24.1 : Chris Woakes to Dhananjaya de Silva, Play and a miss! |
| 24.2 : Chris Woakes to Dhananjaya de Silva, No run. |
| 24.3 : Chris Woakes to Dhananjaya de Silva, No run. |
| 24.4 : Chris Woakes to Dhananjaya de Silva, Chris Woakes goes wide of the crease and serves this full, on off, angling in, Dhananjaya de Silva steers it away towards gully. |
| 24.5 : Chris Woakes to Dhananjaya de Silva, Pitched up and on middle, Dhananjaya de Silva once again blocks it out from his crease. |
| 24.6 : Chris Woakes to Dhananjaya de Silva, No run. |
| 25.1 : Gus Atkinson to Kamindu Mendis, No run. |
| 25.2 : Gus Atkinson to Kamindu Mendis, No run. |
| 25.3 : Gus Atkinson to Kamindu Mendis, No run. |
| 25.4 : Gus Atkinson to Kamindu Mendis, No run. |
| 25.5 : Gus Atkinson to Kamindu Mendis, 2 runs. |
| 25.6 : Gus Atkinson to Kamindu Mendis, No run. |
| 26.1 : Chris Woakes to Dhananjaya de Silva, No run. |
| 26.2 : Chris Woakes to Dhananjaya de Silva, No run. |
| 26.3 : Chris Woakes to Dhananjaya de Silva, No run. |
| 26.4 : Chris Woakes to Dhananjaya de Silva, Woakes now uses the width of the crease and bowls it a bit from a wider angle, lands it full and gets the ball to curve away from the batter. Dhananjaya de Silva gets beaten on the outside edge as he plays inside the line of the ball. |
| 26.5 : Chris Woakes to Dhananjaya de Silva, No run. |
| 26.6 : Chris Woakes to Dhananjaya de Silva, No run. |
| 27.1 : Gus Atkinson to Kamindu Mendis, Leg bye. |
| 27.2 : Gus Atkinson to Dhananjaya de Silva, No run. |
| 27.3 : Gus Atkinson to Dhananjaya de Silva, 1 run. |
| 27.4 : Gus Atkinson to Kamindu Mendis, 2 runs. |
| 27.5 : Gus Atkinson to Kamindu Mendis, EDGED AND FOUR! That goes between through between the slips and the gully gap! |
| 27.6 : Gus Atkinson to Kamindu Mendis, FOUR! Now, that's a controlled shot! |
| 0.0 : TEA, DAY 1 - Session Summary - 141 runs, 27 overs, and 5 wickets. The way the top order of Sri Lanka showed some positive initially, it looked like they were ready to take on England as they had nothing to lose in this series. But as the game progressed it started slipping away from their hand. First, a bit of miscommunication between the openers cost the wicket of Dimuth Karunaratne. After that event, Kusal Mendis partnered with Pathum Nissanka but as things were settling down for the batters, |
| Although wickets were tumbling from one end, the 26-year-old, Pathum Nissanka was still following up with his composure on the crease and brought up a half-century. However, the debutant, Josh Hull, took care of the issue as he hunted Nissanka down and bagged his maiden Test wicket. Within a blip of an eye, Sri Lanka went from 70-2 in the 11th over to 93-5 in the 17th over. After the loss of successive wickets, Sri Lanka's best two middle-order batters started to build up a partnership from s |
| ... DAY 2, SESSION 3 ... |
| The umpires are out in the middle at the moment and are taking a reading with the light meter. They are having a long discussion and truth to be told it has gone a bit more gloomy here at the Oval. |
| 28.1 : Shoaib Bashir to Dhananjaya de Silva, Shoaib Bashir starts with a floater, full and on middle, Dhananjaya de Silva knocks it down the pitch. |
| 28.2 : Shoaib Bashir to Dhananjaya de Silva, No run. |
| 28.3 : Shoaib Bashir to Dhananjaya de Silva, No run. |
| 28.4 : Shoaib Bashir to Dhananjaya de Silva, Quicker one, short again, on middle, Dhananjaya de Silva fends it away from the back foot. |
| 28.5 : Shoaib Bashir to Dhananjaya de Silva, FOUR! Nice use of the feet! |
| 28.6 : Shoaib Bashir to Dhananjaya de Silva, Drags his length back again, on middle, angles in, Dhananjaya de Silva tucks it down to short leg. |
| 29.1 : Dan Lawrence to Kamindu Mendis, Dan Lawrence begins with a short delivery, outside off, Kamindu Mendis cuts it away towards deep point for a single. |
| 0.0 : Spin from both ends now. Dan Lawrence is summoned into the attack with a slip and a leg slip in place. |
| 29.2 : Dan Lawrence to Dhananjaya de Silva, Floated, full and on middle, Dhananjaya de Silva turns it away towards short leg. |
| 29.3 : Dan Lawrence to Dhananjaya de Silva, No run. |
| 29.4 : Dan Lawrence to Dhananjaya de Silva, Flighted, full and on middle, Dhananjaya de Silva clips it a bit uppishly but safely towards mid on. |
| 29.5 : Dan Lawrence to Dhananjaya de Silva, No run. |
| 29.6 : Dan Lawrence to Dhananjaya de Silva, Tossed up, full and on off, Dhananjaya de Silva pushes it through covers for a run. |
| 30.1 : Shoaib Bashir to Dhananjaya de Silva, 2 runs. |
| 30.2 : Shoaib Bashir to Dhananjaya de Silva, Shortens his length, on middle and leg, this one holds up on the surface, Dhananjaya de Silva looks to flick it away but misses and gets hit high on the pads. |
| 30.3 : Shoaib Bashir to Dhananjaya de Silva, No run. |
| 30.4 : Shoaib Bashir to Dhananjaya de Silva, No run. |
| 30.5 : Shoaib Bashir to Dhananjaya de Silva, Pushed through quicker again, on middle, skids through, Dhananjaya de Silva stays back in is crease and blocks it out. |
| 30.6 : Shoaib Bashir to Dhananjaya de Silva, Darts this one full, on middle, Dhananjaya de Silva defends it on the front foot. |
| 31.1 : Dan Lawrence to Kamindu Mendis, Tossed up, full and on middle, Kamindu Mendis strides out and blocks it out. |
| 31.2 : Dan Lawrence to Kamindu Mendis, Bit of turn! Floated, full and around off, spins away a bit, Kamindu Mendis prods out and leaves it alone. |
| 31.3 : Dan Lawrence to Kamindu Mendis, No run. |
| 31.4 : Dan Lawrence to Kamindu Mendis, 1 run. |
| 31.5 : Dan Lawrence to Dhananjaya de Silva, Fires one in, full and on middle, Dhananjaya de Silva fends it down the pitch. |
| 31.6 : Dan Lawrence to Dhananjaya de Silva, Shorter in length but down the leg side, Dhananjaya de Silva makes an easy leave. |
| 32.1 : Shoaib Bashir to Kamindu Mendis, 1 run. |
| 32.2 : Shoaib Bashir to Dhananjaya de Silva, Floater, full and on middle, turns in, Dhananjaya de Silva defends it on the front foot. |
| 32.3 : Shoaib Bashir to Dhananjaya de Silva, Flatter, full and on the pads this time, Dhananjaya de Silva turns it past short leg. |
| 32.4 : Shoaib Bashir to Dhananjaya de Silva, Short and flat, on leg, Dhananjaya de Silva leaves it alone. |
| 32.5 : Shoaib Bashir to Dhananjaya de Silva, No run. |
| 32.6 : Shoaib Bashir to Dhananjaya de Silva, Another short one, on middle, Dhananjaya de Silva keeps it out to the pitch. |
| 33.1 : Dan Lawrence to Kamindu Mendis, No run. |
| 33.2 : Dan Lawrence to Kamindu Mendis, 1 run. |
| 33.3 : Dan Lawrence to Dhananjaya de Silva, Tossed up, full and turning into the leg stump from middle, Dhananjaya de Silva with a firm push towards wide mid on gets a single. |
| 33.4 : Dan Lawrence to Kamindu Mendis, Around the wicket comes Lawrence. Drags his length, shade outside off, Kamindu Mendis uses the depth of the crease and cuts it past point for a single. |
| 33.5 : Dan Lawrence to Dhananjaya de Silva, No run. |
| 33.6 : Dan Lawrence to Dhananjaya de Silva, FOUR! Connects well this time! Loopy delivery, full and on middle, Dhananjaya de Silva this time waits for it in his crease, and lifts it away beautifully well over mid on for a boundary. |
| Dan Lawrence to Dhananjaya de Silva, Quicker, full and on off, Dhananjaya de Silva pushes it through covers for a run. |
| 34.1 : Shoaib Bashir to Dhananjaya de Silva, FOUR! Put away! |
| 34.2 : Shoaib Bashir to Dhananjaya de Silva, No run. |
| 34.3 : Shoaib Bashir to Dhananjaya de Silva, No run. |
| 34.4 : Shoaib Bashir to Dhananjaya de Silva, 2 runs. |
| 34.5 : Shoaib Bashir to Dhananjaya de Silva, 1 run. |
| 34.6 : Shoaib Bashir to Kamindu Mendis, No run. |
| 35.1 : Dan Lawrence to Dhananjaya de Silva, No run. |
| 35.2 : Dan Lawrence to Dhananjaya de Silva, Flatter, short again, on middle, turns in a long way to the leg side, Dhananjaya de Silva leaves it alone. |
| 35.3 : Dan Lawrence to Dhananjaya de Silva, 1 run. |
| 35.4 : Dan Lawrence to Kamindu Mendis, Short and around off, Kamindu Mendis punches it away through covers for a run. |
| 35.5 : Dan Lawrence to Dhananjaya de Silva, No run. |
| 35.6 : Dan Lawrence to Dhananjaya de Silva, Four! |
| 36.1 : Shoaib Bashir to Kamindu Mendis, Full on the middle stump, defended on the front foot. |
| 36.2 : Shoaib Bashir to Kamindu Mendis, Good length outside off, this is played off the back foot to point for a quick single. |
| 36.3 : Shoaib Bashir to Dhananjaya de Silva, No run. |
| 36.4 : Shoaib Bashir to Dhananjaya de Silva, Length on the off stump, Dhananjaya de Silva defends it with a straight bat. |
| 36.5 : Shoaib Bashir to Dhananjaya de Silva, Good display of fielding by Chris Woakes! Full and outside off from Bashir, Dhananjaya de Silva drives it inside out through extra cover. Woakes does the hard yards and chases it down from mid off to deep covers. He slides and just about manages to pull the ball before the ropes. Saves one for his side. |
| 36.6 : Shoaib Bashir to Kamindu Mendis, No run. |
| 37.1 : Dan Lawrence to Dhananjaya de Silva, Way down the leg side, on a length, Dhananjaya de Silva lets it be. |
| 37.2 : Dan Lawrence to Dhananjaya de Silva, In the air...lands safe...and doesn't make it to the boundary! |
| 37.3 : Dan Lawrence to Dhananjaya de Silva, No run. |
| 37.4 : Dan Lawrence to Dhananjaya de Silva, Four! |
| 37.5 : Dan Lawrence to Dhananjaya de Silva, Flat and on the back of a length, on middle, Dhananjaya de Silva rocks back and blocks it off. |
| 37.6 : Dan Lawrence to Dhananjaya de Silva, Quite full, tossed up around off, Dhananjaya de Silva leans onto the ball and defends it right underneath his eyes. |
| . |
| 38.1 : Shoaib Bashir to Kamindu Mendis, 1 run. |
| 38.2 : Shoaib Bashir to Dhananjaya de Silva, Pushed through, looped up around middle, Dhananjaya de Silva gets on the front foot and defends it. |
| 38.3 : Shoaib Bashir to Dhananjaya de Silva, No run. |
| 38.4 : Shoaib Bashir to Dhananjaya de Silva, No run. |
| 38.5 : Shoaib Bashir to Dhananjaya de Silva, No run. |
| 38.6 : Shoaib Bashir to Dhananjaya de Silva, Pitched on the middle, on a length, and turning into the leg stump line, Dhananjaya de Silva stays on the back foot and taps it to the right of short square leg. |
| 39.1 : Dan Lawrence to Kamindu Mendis, 1 run. |
| 39.2 : Dan Lawrence to Dhananjaya de Silva, No run. |
| 39.3 : Dan Lawrence to Dhananjaya de Silva, Slower through the air, on middle and leg, Dhananjaya de Silva clips it to the right of short square leg. |
| 39.4 : Dan Lawrence to Dhananjaya de Silva, FOUR! Nice shot! Too full around off, Dhananjaya de Silva pats his front foot ahead and opens the bat face to guide the ball through the backward point region for a boundary. Though it went a bit more squarer and more off the outer half of the bat, but he will take it. |
| 39.5 : Dan Lawrence to Dhananjaya de Silva, No run. |
| 39.6 : Dan Lawrence to Dhananjaya de Silva, Slow, tossed up, on leg, Dhananjaya de Silva rocks back and eases it to the leg side, just near the strip. |
| 40.1 : Shoaib Bashir to Kamindu Mendis, Sliding on the pads, on a length, Kamindu Mendis watches it closely and clips it towards deep backward square leg for a couple of runs. The fielder from deep mid-wicket intercepts it and keeps it to a couple of runs. |
| 40.2 : Shoaib Bashir to Kamindu Mendis, No run. |
| 40.3 : Shoaib Bashir to Kamindu Mendis, Bashir flattens the trajectory this time, bowls it much quicker on a length, around off, Kamindu Mendis eases it off the back foot to the off side. |
| 40.4 : Shoaib Bashir to Kamindu Mendis, Length ball, just around off, Kamindu Mendis uses the depth of the crease and cuts it to backward point for a single. 100-run stand comes up between these two! |
| 40.5 : Shoaib Bashir to Dhananjaya de Silva, Sliding down leg, left alone. |
| 40.6 : Shoaib Bashir to Dhananjaya de Silva, Changes the angle this time and hustles from around the pegs, does Bashir. Lands it full and on the leg stump line, Dhananjaya de Silva responds with a watchful prod ahead and defends it. |
| 0.0 : Joe Root to bowl some offies now. |
| 41.1 : Joe Root to Kamindu Mendis, Root starts off from around the wickets, with a wide leg slip and a slip in place. Bowls it full and tosses it up around off, Kamindu Mendis leans ahead and pushes it to the cover-point region and steals a quick single. |
| 41.2 : Joe Root to Dhananjaya de Silva, Fuller in length, on the leg stump line, DDS clips it with the spin to short fine. |
| 41.3 : Joe Root to Dhananjaya de Silva, FOUR! Lucky! |
| 41.4 : Joe Root to Dhananjaya de Silva, No run. |
| 41.5 : Joe Root to Dhananjaya de Silva, 2 runs. |
| 41.6 : Joe Root to Dhananjaya de Silva, No run. |
| 42.1 : Shoaib Bashir to Kamindu Mendis, Creating the chances here and there, is Bashir! |
| 42.2 : Shoaib Bashir to Kamindu Mendis, Four! |
| 42.3 : Shoaib Bashir to Kamindu Mendis, No run. |
| 42.4 : Shoaib Bashir to Kamindu Mendis, No run. |
| 42.5 : Shoaib Bashir to Kamindu Mendis, Full on the off stump, Kamindu Mendis blocks it back to the bowler. |
| 42.6 : Shoaib Bashir to Kamindu Mendis, Full on the fourth stump line, this pushed in the off side by Mendis. |
| 43.1 : Joe Root to Dhananjaya de Silva, Too slow, on a length, Dhananjaya de Silva goes back and tucks it with soft hands to short fine. |
| 43.2 : Joe Root to Dhananjaya de Silva, An arm ball, pitched up on a fuller length, on the leg stump line, Dhananjaya de Silva alertly blocks it out. |
| 43.3 : Joe Root to Dhananjaya de Silva, No run. |
| 43.4 : Joe Root to Dhananjaya de Silva, No run. |
| 43.5 : Joe Root to Dhananjaya de Silva, No run. |
| 43.6 : Joe Root to Dhananjaya de Silva, FOUR! DDS takes the aerial route and gets the reward! Joe Root offers too much flight on it and serves a juicy half volley on the middle and leg, Dhananjaya de Silva waits for the ball to arrive and swings across the line to access the vacant deep square leg region, hits it uppishly over the square leg region and gets a boundary. |
| . |
| 44.1 : Shoaib Bashir to Kamindu Mendis, No run. |
| 44.2 : Shoaib Bashir to Kamindu Mendis, Fires in a yorker, on middle, Kamindu Mendis digs out out on the pitch. |
| 44.3 : Shoaib Bashir to Kamindu Mendis, Flatter, full and on leg, Kamindu Mendis clips it away wide of deep square leg for a brace. |
| 44.4 : Shoaib Bashir to Kamindu Mendis, No run. |
| 44.5 : Shoaib Bashir to Kamindu Mendis, Attacks the stumps, quicker and full as well, Kamindu Mendis prods forward and fends it away. |
| 44.6 : Shoaib Bashir to Kamindu Mendis, Slower through the air, shortish and on off, turns away, Kamindu Mendis opens the bat face and steers it towards short third for a single. |
| 0.0 : Uh, oh! The two umpires come together to have a chat. The light meter comes out again and this time, the umpires think that the artificial light has taken over the natural light. The conditions have gotten really dark overhead, meaning it is not safe to continue. The players are requested to walk off the field and The Oval echoes with the boos from the spectators. The umpires though are still on the ground and have a detailed discussion with the reserve umpire. But for now, the play has been ha |
| UPDATE - 4.57 pm GMT - Well, nothing new to update here, and things are not looking promising for us to get underway again. So, while we wait, let's catch up on a couple of results from elsewhere. Australia have completed the clean sweep over Scotland in the three-match T20I series. It was yet another comfortable win for the Aussies with Cameron Green putting on a brilliant all-round show. He blasted 62 off just 30 balls and also picked up a three-wicket haul as well. In the Duleep Trophy, Indi |
| UPDATE - 5.05 pm GMT - Well, folks! This was bound to happen. With lights clearly not expected to get any better coupled with dark skies, Stumps have been officially called on Day 2. |
| Well, since we won't have any further play, let's recap what happened on Day 2. It kicked off under the same moody skies over London. The Sri Lankan bowlers decided to mix things up, pitching it up a bit more to get the ball swinging - a change from yesterday's good length fest. The ball was dancing around, kissing edges and giving the English batters a proper workout initially. Pope and Brook weren't about to roll over, though. They tried to knock the Sri Lankan bowlers off their rhythm and ne |
| Credit where it's due, The Sri Lankan attack, sharper than yesterday, had to grind for that first breakthrough. Cricket being cricket, there were a few near misses, some umpire calls, and even a dropped catch to keep things interesting. But once Brook fell, the floodgates opened. England's batting order crumbled like a house of cards - six wickets tumbled for a paltry 35 runs in just about 10 overs. The Sri Lankan pacers did an excellent job and probed the opposition batters on tight lines and l |
| The second session began with the Sri Lankan openers negotiating the English pace attack. They were motoring along well but a miscommunication in the middle saw Karunaratne cost dearly. But despite an early couple of blows, Sri Lanka played with freedom for the first hour or so, likewise their counterparts. Nissanka was the star of the show for the islanders, scoring at a rate that would've made T20 batters proud. The only problem was, he kept running out of partners. In the end, his own aggress |
| In dire need of runs with half of the side in the dressing room, the skipper Dhananjaya de Silva and the southpaw Kamindu Mendis formed a resilient partnership for the 6th wicket. By the time the umpires called for Tea, de Silva and Mendis had not only steadied the innings but given their side a glimmer of hope. Cut to the final session,  the light had gone a bit dodgy - not exactly ideal for the quicks to be steaming in. So, England had to switch things up and give spin a whirl for the first |
| They had a bit of help from the pitch too, with the rough patches at both ends giving them something to aim at. Bashir nearly struck gold by playing a bit of cat and mouse with de Silva. He kept probing away, testing DDS's patience. Just when Bashir thought he'd struck, Hull went and put down a sitter. As overs progressed, the two Sri Lankans got more accommodated to the conditions and were cruising together nicely. Both effectively notched up their respective fifties and also constructed a soli |
| So, who takes the honors for day two? It's a close call, but Sri Lanka might have a slight edge - not in the match wholly though as they still trail by 114 runs. England certainly had their moments, bowling well and taking five quick wickets at one point. However, the islanders managed to bundle out the hosts in the morning session and then showed impressive resilience to see out the day with the bat. |
| Right then, that is it from Day 2. Sri Lanka, in what could have been a dire situation have turned it into a competitive one with a solid counterpunch. But the challenging part for them is to negotiate the early hour of play coming into Day 3. With the pitch's further wear and tear, the 'Moving Day' will be very crucial from both teams' perspectives. England's aim would be to take advantage of an early morning swing and snag early wickets and prevent the opposition from taking the lead. With tha |
| ... DAY 3, SESSION 1 ... |
| Hello and welcome, everyone! We're entering Day 3 of this third Test between England and Sri Lanka, though weâve yet to witness a full day's play, largely due to bad light. Day 3 is often referred to as the 'Moving Day,' and whichever team can adapt better could gain a crucial advantage in this match. While the weather has slightly improved, itâs still overcast, and to make up for the lost time over the first two days, a total of 98 overs are scheduled for today. Play is set to continue unt |
| Sri Lanka responded brilliantly on Day 2 after a rather disappointing start on the first day. The bowlers came out with renewed energy and executed their plans with much greater precision. They managed to bowl out the hosts in the first session itself. It was a commendable effort to restrict England to under 350, especially when at one stage, it looked like they might be chasing a total well over 400. |
| Once again, Sri Lanka's top order struggled, with the exception of Pathum Nissanka, who took inspiration from England's approach and played with freedom. He smashed a brisk half-century but eventually fell to his own aggressive instincts. The visitors found themselves in trouble at 93/5, but worsening overhead conditions came to their rescue. The umpires ruled that the light wasn't safe for the fast bowlers to continue. Skipper Dhananjaya de Silva, along with the impressive Kamindu Mendis, began |
| England will be slightly disappointed with their batting collapse on Day 2. Skipper Ollie Pope's 154 and Ben Duckett's brisk 86 were the standout performances. While the bowlers struggled initially, sharp fielding from Olly Stone and poor running from Sri Lanka gave them their first breakthrough. The debutant, Josh Hull had a mixed day, claiming the set Pathum Nissankaâs wicket but dropping a sitter that gave Dhananjaya de Silva a second chance. England did manage to take three quick wi |
| UPDATE -Â As many of you may have heard, or if not, the big breaking news this morning is that 37-year-old Moeen Ali, one of Englandâs finest all-rounders, has announced his retirement from international cricket. |
| We are two days into this third and final Test and still, we haven't been able to see a full day's play. A total of 114.1 overs have been bowled with both innings combined so far, and technically, we have already lost plenty of overs due to bad light stoppages. And the weather forecast for Day 3, ugh, well, it doesn't look THAT promising to be very honest. The London skies are predicted to stay under the siege of a thick cloud cover which might bring showers later in the day. But, let's hope t |
| 45.1 : Josh Hull to Kamindu Mendis, Josh Hull starts with a very full delivery, on middle, shaping away a bit, Kamindu Mendis stays deep in his crease and digs it out towards short mid-wicket. |
| 0.0 : Well then, all set for Day 3 to commence at The Oval! We are starting on time, thankfully. The umpires walk out to the middle followed by the players of England. Kamindu Mendis and Dhananjaya de Silva to resume their innings for Sri Lanka. Josh Hull will begin the proceedings with the ball. Let's play... |
| 45.2 : Josh Hull to Kamindu Mendis, Good length now, on off, Kamindu Mendis stays back, keeps his head over the ball and blocks it out. |
| 45.3 : Josh Hull to Kamindu Mendis, Pitched up in search of swing, but this one angles into the pads, Kamindu Mendis knocks it past mid on for a couple of runs. |
| 45.4 : Josh Hull to Kamindu Mendis, Good bowling! |
| 45.5 : Josh Hull to Kamindu Mendis, 1 run. |
| 45.6 : Josh Hull to Dhananjaya de Silva, BEATEN! Back of a length and just outside off, goes away with the angles, Dhananjaya de Silva decides to have a poke at it but gets beaten on the outside edge. Decent start from the debutant! |
| Who bowls from the other end? |
| 46.1 : Chris Woakes to Kamindu Mendis, Chris Woakes begins with a hard-length delivery around off, angles away, Kamindu Mendis leaves it alone. |
| 46.2 : Chris Woakes to Kamindu Mendis, Back of a length and outside off, Kamindu Mendis offers no shot at it. |
| 46.3 : Chris Woakes to Kamindu Mendis, Short of a length and into the body of the batter, Kamindu Mendis pats it down to the leg side. |
| 46.4 : Chris Woakes to Kamindu Mendis, Hits the good length, on middle, shapes in a touch, Kamindu Mendis misses his flick and gets hit on his thigh pads. |
| 46.5 : Chris Woakes to Kamindu Mendis, Much fuller and much wider outside off, Kamindu Mendis makes an easy leave. |
| 46.6 : Chris Woakes to Kamindu Mendis, Maiden over! Pitched up, on middle, shaping in, Kamindu Mendis defends it on the front foot. |
| 47.1 : Josh Hull to Dhananjaya de Silva, FOUR! Deft touch! Josh Hull lands this on a good length and just around off, Dhananjaya de Silva expects the ball to swing in, but this one angles away, DDS hangs his bat away and steers it just wide of third slip for a boundary. |
| 47.2 : Josh Hull to Dhananjaya de Silva, On a length and on off, Dhananjaya de Silva guides it away towards third man for a single. |
| 47.3 : Josh Hull to Kamindu Mendis, Goes fuller, on middle, shapes away, Kamindu Mendis once again gets a bit squared up as the ball goes off the outside edge towards deep point. They cross. |
| 47.4 : Josh Hull to Dhananjaya de Silva, Good carry! Fuller and on off, angles away, Dhananjaya de Silva lets it go as Jamie Smith takes it near his chest height. |
| 47.5 : Josh Hull to Dhananjaya de Silva, OUT! TAKEN! Redemption for Josh Hull! He dropped DDS on Day 2, but now sends him back to the hut. |
| 0.0 : Milan Rathnayake is in at number 8 for Sri Lanka. They trail by 105 runs. |
| 47.6 : Josh Hull to Milan Rathnayake, Back of a length and around off, Milan Rathnayake punches it through covers for a single. |
| 48.1 : Chris Woakes to Milan Rathnayake, Short of a length and on leg, Milan Rathnayake gets cramped up trying to work it away and misses, it goes off his thigh pads towards square leg. A leg bye is taken. |
| 48.2 : Chris Woakes to Kamindu Mendis, Pitches it up, on off, Kamindu Mendis blocks it down the pitch. |
| 48.3 : Chris Woakes to Kamindu Mendis, Full again and on middle and off, Kamindu Mendis knocks it away towards mid off for a run. |
| 48.4 : Chris Woakes to Milan Rathnayake, BEAUTY! Chris Woakes serves this full again and just on off, swings away sharply, Milan Rathnayake goes fishing at it but gets beaten on the outside edge. |
| 48.5 : Chris Woakes to Milan Rathnayake, On a length and on middle, Milan Rathnayake stays back and keeps it out to the off side. |
| 48.6 : Chris Woakes to Milan Rathnayake, Another great outswinger! Over pitched and around off, shaping away a long way again, Milan Rathnayake tries to play at it but misses, the ball zips past the outside edge again. |
| 0.0 : UPDATE - 10.22 am GMT - Uh, oh! The rain gods are at it, again! The sun was threatening to come out of the cloud cover at the start of the day's play, but, as unpredictable as the weather is in the UK, it has started raining, a bit heavily. The players are sprinting to the dressing rooms. The pitch has been covered with a green mat and then the white sheets are being brought in as well to cover the deck and the squares. |
| UPDATE - 10.34Â am GMT - It looks like the rain has subsided for now and the covers are coming off. We also have a resumption time, which is 10.50 am GMT. Also, let us take a look at the revised session timings. Lunch will be taken at 12.45 pm GMT. |
| We are back! |
| 49.1 : Josh Hull to Kamindu Mendis, Back of a length and on off, Mendis stands tall and defends it to the leg side. |
| 49.2 : Josh Hull to Kamindu Mendis, Just short of leg slip! |
| 49.3 : Josh Hull to Kamindu Mendis, 5 Wides! |
| Josh Hull to Kamindu Mendis, EDGED AND FOUR! |
| 49.4 : Josh Hull to Kamindu Mendis, No run. |
| 49.5 : Josh Hull to Kamindu Mendis, No run. |
| 49.6 : Josh Hull to Kamindu Mendis, Good length outside off, shaping away, this is worked to the right of cover for one by Kamindu Mendis. |
| 50.1 : Chris Woakes to Kamindu Mendis, OUT! TAKEN AT FIRST SLIP! An absolute seed from Woakes to dismiss the well-settled Kamindu Mendis! |
| 0.0 : Vishwa Fernando is the next man in. |
| 50.2 : Chris Woakes to Vishwa Fernando, No run. |
| 50.3 : Chris Woakes to Vishwa Fernando, No run. |
| 50.4 : Chris Woakes to Vishwa Fernando, Genuine movement, outside off and curving away from the good length, Vishwa Fernando lets it be. |
| 50.5 : Chris Woakes to Vishwa Fernando, FOUR BYES! |
| 50.6 : Chris Woakes to Vishwa Fernando, Nasty bumper that! |
| 51.1 : Josh Hull to Milan Rathnayake, 1 run. |
| 51.2 : Josh Hull to Vishwa Fernando, Short-pitched delivery angling on the middle and leg, Vishwa Fernando rides on the bounce and drops it near the strip with soft hands. |
| 51.3 : Josh Hull to Vishwa Fernando, Holds his line, but varies his length, on that in-between length, Vishwa Fernando tucks it to the square leg region. |
| 51.4 : Josh Hull to Vishwa Fernando, OUT! LBW! Josh Hull gets his third wicket! However, Vishwa Fernando has decided to challenge the on-field decision and goes upstairs to review it. Looks pretty straight and plumb though. |
| 0.0 : Lahiru Kumara comes out to the middle now. |
| 51.5 : Josh Hull to Lahiru Kumara, Holds onto his line, around off with a gentle outswing, Lahiru Kumara gets behind the line and taps it to the off side. |
| 51.6 : Josh Hull to Lahiru Kumara,  Good length on off stump, with a bit of an extra bounce. Lahiru Kumara fends from his crease, and gets a thick inside edge that runs down to backward square leg. |
| 52.1 : Chris Woakes to Milan Rathnayake, No run. |
| 52.2 : Chris Woakes to Milan Rathnayake, No run. |
| 52.3 : Chris Woakes to Milan Rathnayake, Drags his length and hits the hard length on the stumps, Rathnayake defends it off the backfoot to the left of the bowler. |
| 52.4 : Chris Woakes to Milan Rathnayake, No run. |
| 52.5 : Chris Woakes to Milan Rathnayake, No run. |
| 52.6 : Chris Woakes to Milan Rathnayake, Excellent stop that by Pope at gully! |
| 53.1 : Josh Hull to Lahiru Kumara, A steep bumper at the pegs, Lahiru Kumara ducks underneath it. |
| 53.2 : Josh Hull to Lahiru Kumara, No run. |
| 53.3 : Josh Hull to Lahiru Kumara, No run. |
| 53.4 : Josh Hull to Lahiru Kumara, That in-between length, angling on the pads, Lahiru Kumara is a bit late as he tries to tuck it away to the leg side but gets pinged on the thigh pad. |
| 53.5 : Josh Hull to Lahiru Kumara, DROPPED! Olly Stone, what have you done? |
| 53.6 : Josh Hull to Milan Rathnayake, Four! |
| Change. |
| 54.1 : Olly Stone to Lahiru Kumara, No run. |
| 54.2 : Olly Stone to Lahiru Kumara, No run. |
| 54.3 : Olly Stone to Lahiru Kumara, No run. |
| 54.4 : Olly Stone to Lahiru Kumara, No run. |
| 54.5 : Olly Stone to Lahiru Kumara, No run. |
| 54.6 : Olly Stone to Lahiru Kumara, Aims the off peg, on a length, Lahiru Kumara prods ahead and defends it to the short cover. A maiden over to start with for Ollie Stone. |
| 55.1 : Josh Hull to Milan Rathnayake, Hits the deck hard, on off, Milan Rathnayake punches it off the back foot to the short cover region. |
| 55.2 : Josh Hull to Milan Rathnayake, FOUR BYES! |
| 55.3 : Josh Hull to Milan Rathnayake, Sticks to the short ball plan does Josh Hull. Outside off, Milan Rathnayake mistimes his cut towards deep point for a single. |
| 55.4 : Josh Hull to Lahiru Kumara, Hull goes way too full in search of that swing. Gets a good seam movement away from the batter, outside off, Lahiru Kumara brings his bat to poke at it but gets beaten on the outside edge. |
| 55.5 : Josh Hull to Lahiru Kumara, No run. |
| 55.6 : Josh Hull to Lahiru Kumara, Spears in a full toss on the middle, Lahiru Kumara firmly pushes it to mid on. |
| 56.1 : Olly Stone to Milan Rathnayake, No run. |
| 56.2 : Olly Stone to Milan Rathnayake, Swing and a miss! Length-delivery outside off, Milan Rathnayake looks to loft it over the inner ring but gets beaten on the outside edge. |
| 56.3 : Olly Stone to Milan Rathnayake, There's that sharp bouncer again! |
| 56.4 : Olly Stone to Milan Rathnayake, Ohh! An extra bit of bounce again! Not that short from Stone, at off on a fractionally fuller length, which takes off from the surface. Milan Rathnayake is taken by surprise by the bounce and fends it off the gloves in front of the slips. |
| 56.5 : Olly Stone to Milan Rathnayake, OUT! c Jamie Smith b Olly Stone. |
| 0.0 : Asitha Fernando is the last man in. |
| 56.6 : Olly Stone to Asitha Fernando, Wow! This is some really nice bowling from Stone! |
| 0.0 : Time for some spin now as Shoaib Bashir comes into the attack. |
| 57.1 : Shoaib Bashir to Lahiru Kumara, Bashir with a slip and a short leg in place, comes from around the pegs. |
| 57.2 : Shoaib Bashir to Asitha Fernando, No run. |
| 57.3 : Shoaib Bashir to Asitha Fernando, No run. |
| 57.4 : Shoaib Bashir to Asitha Fernando, No run. |
| 57.5 : Shoaib Bashir to Asitha Fernando, No run. |
| 57.6 : Shoaib Bashir to Asitha Fernando, No run. |
| 58.1 : Olly Stone to Lahiru Kumara, No run. |
| 58.2 : Olly Stone to Lahiru Kumara, No run. |
| 58.3 : Olly Stone to Lahiru Kumara, Full, and angling away from the southpaw, Lahiru Kumara stays deep inside the crease and looks to work it through covers but gets beaten on the outside edge. |
| 58.4 : Olly Stone to Lahiru Kumara, 250 up for Sri Lanka! |
| 58.5 : Olly Stone to Asitha Fernando, Good bowling! Length-delivery over the top of middle, Asitha Fernando walks away from the line of the ball and brings his bat horizontally to slash but gets beaten. |
| 58.6 : Olly Stone to Asitha Fernando, FOUR! Wow, that's a good shot! Olly Stone varies his length and bowls it quite fuller this time, on the stumps, Asitha Fernando skips down the track, creates room for him and slaps it over the bowler's head for a boundary to wide long off. |
| 59.1 : Shoaib Bashir to Lahiru Kumara, Bashir tosses it up, gets that in-drift to the pads, Lahiru Kumara looks to clear the fence with a swipe across the line but wears on the pads. |
| 59.2 : Shoaib Bashir to Lahiru Kumara, No run. |
| 59.3 : Shoaib Bashir to Lahiru Kumara, 1 run. |
| 59.4 : Shoaib Bashir to Asitha Fernando, No run. |
| 59.5 : Shoaib Bashir to Asitha Fernando, No run. |
| 59.6 : Shoaib Bashir to Asitha Fernando, 2 runs. |
| 60.1 : Olly Stone to Lahiru Kumara, Olly Stone bangs is into the surface around off, Lahiru Kumara fends it a bit uppishly off the back foot but the ball lands just ahead of Ollie Pope stationed at gully. Oh, wait! The on-field umpires converge and discuss to check it for a fair catch. |
| 60.2 : Olly Stone to Lahiru Kumara, Back of a length, outside off, Lahiru Kumara is happy to let it be. |
| 60.3 : Olly Stone to Lahiru Kumara, 1 run. |
| 60.4 : Olly Stone to Asitha Fernando, 1 run. |
| 60.5 : Olly Stone to Lahiru Kumara, No run. |
| 60.6 : Olly Stone to Lahiru Kumara, No run. |
| 61.1 : Shoaib Bashir to Asitha Fernando, Four! |
| 0.0 : Drinks! The sun is out here at the Oval, and the players will get some refreshments now. Since breaking that big partnership between Kamindu Mendis and Dhananjaya de Silva, it has been all about England, but they are still searching for that last wicket. Sri Lanka trails by 66 runs and they will aim to get as many runs as possible to get closer to that total. |
| 61.2 : Shoaib Bashir to Asitha Fernando, OUT! Caught behind, but this is reviewed straightaway by Asitha as he thinks it came off his forearm and not the glove or the bat. |
| 0.0 : That's done and dusted then! England have managed to keep a good lead of 62 runs before coming out to bat the second time. It was a tough final session on Day 2 as the bad light did not allow them to bowl the pacers, but the pacers did a good job of keeping the shine on the ball. That was really useful for the pacers to use the overhead conditions in this session and they made it really difficult for the batters. It was Josh Hull who broke the big 127-run stand between Dhananjaya de Silva an |
| For Sri Lanka, Pathum Nissanka gave them a good start with a fiery half-century but other than him, the top order did not have much of an impact. At one point, they were 93/5, but then the skipper took responsibility and along with Kamindu Mendis steadied things for them. The weather conditions also helped them a bit as they ended Day 2 with both DDS and Mendis getting to their fifties. However, it was a different ball game in this morning's session as both the set batters departed, but they d |
| ... THIRD INNINGS ... |
| Welcome back, folks! |
| 0.1 : Asitha Fernando to Ben Duckett, Ben Duckett and England are underway straightaway! Asitha Fernando starts with a back-of-a-length delivery, just outside off, Ben Duckett gets on his toes and punches it through cover-point for a couple of runs. |
| 0.2 : Asitha Fernando to Ben Duckett, Goes fuller this time, on off, Ben Duckett taps it in front of mid off and takes a quick single. |
| 0.3 : Asitha Fernando to Dan Lawrence, Leg bye. |
| 0.4 : Asitha Fernando to Ben Duckett, Pitched up but swinging down the leg side, Ben Duckett tries to flick it away but misses. |
| 0.5 : Asitha Fernando to Ben Duckett, Back of a length and around middle, Ben Duckett stays back and blocks it out. |
| 0.6 : Asitha Fernando to Ben Duckett, Hits the length hard, on off, Ben Duckett pats it down towards mid off. 4 runs off the first over! |
| 1.1 : Milan Rathnayake to Dan Lawrence, Milan Rathnayake begins with a full delivery, on off, Dan Lawrence gets his front foot closer to the line of the ball and knocks it towards mid on. |
| 0.0 : Milan Rathnayake to bowl from the Pavilion End. |
| 1.2 : Milan Rathnayake to Dan Lawrence, Wayward! Milan Rathnayake loses his line and serves this full, but way down the leg side, Dan Lawrence looks to glance it away but is nowhere near the ball. |
| 1.3 : Milan Rathnayake to Dan Lawrence, Full and straight in line with the stumps, not much movement, Dan Lawrence drills it away straight to mid on. |
| 1.4 : Milan Rathnayake to Dan Lawrence, FOUR! Further evidence of how Dan Lawrence is going to play! |
| 1.5 : Milan Rathnayake to Dan Lawrence, 3 runs. |
| 1.6 : Milan Rathnayake to Ben Duckett, FOUR! Ben Duckett joins the party now! |
| 2.1 : Asitha Fernando to Dan Lawrence, BEAUTY! |
| 2.2 : Asitha Fernando to Dan Lawrence, Uppish but safe! |
| 2.3 : Asitha Fernando to Dan Lawrence, Pitches it up, on off, nips away again, Dan Lawrence looks to drive but gets an outside edge this time that goes along the ground wide of third man. Two runs takens. |
| 2.4 : Asitha Fernando to Dan Lawrence, Dan Lawrence is not going to die wondering here! |
| 2.5 : Asitha Fernando to Ben Duckett, No run. |
| 2.6 : Asitha Fernando to Ben Duckett, OUT! c Vishwa Fernando b Asitha Fernando. |
| 3.1 : Milan Rathnayake to Dan Lawrence, No run. |
| 0.0 : The English skipper, fresh from a 154 in the first innings, Ollie Pope walks in at number 3. |
| 3.2 : Milan Rathnayake to Dan Lawrence, No run. |
| 3.3 : Milan Rathnayake to Dan Lawrence, No run. |
| 3.4 : Milan Rathnayake to Dan Lawrence, Pulls his length back a bit, on off, Dan Lawrence pats it towards mid-wicket for a single. |
| 3.5 : Milan Rathnayake to Ollie Pope, No run. |
| 3.6 : Milan Rathnayake to Ollie Pope, 1 run. |
| 4.1 : Asitha Fernando to Ollie Pope, Hard length and around off, Ollie Pope stays back and blocks it out right under his eyes. |
| 4.2 : Asitha Fernando to Ollie Pope, Touch fuller, on off, Ollie Pope opens the face of his bat and guides it straight to backward point. |
| 4.3 : Asitha Fernando to Ollie Pope, Back of a length and on middle, Ollie Pope punches it past the bowler, mid on mops it up. They cross. |
| 4.4 : Asitha Fernando to Dan Lawrence, FOUR! Put away! |
| 4.5 : Asitha Fernando to Dan Lawrence, Good length and around off, Dan Lawrence steers it away towards point. |
| 4.6 : Asitha Fernando to Ollie Pope, Swing and a miss! Asitha Fernando bowls a tempter, full and well outside off, swings further away, Ollie Pope tries to reach out by throwing his bat at it, but it zips past the outside edge. |
| 5.1 : Milan Rathnayake to Dan Lawrence, And again! Wild swing and a miss! |
| 5.2 : Milan Rathnayake to Dan Lawrence, Rare leave now! |
| 5.3 : Milan Rathnayake to Dan Lawrence, Back of a length, angling on middle and leg, Dan Lawrence tilts forward and clips it to deep mid-wicket with soft hands to get to the other end. |
| 5.4 : Milan Rathnayake to Ollie Pope, No run. |
| 5.5 : Milan Rathnayake to Ollie Pope, No run. |
| 5.6 : Milan Rathnayake to Ollie Pope, Keeps testing his patience, does Rathnayake! Pitched outside off on a good length, Ollie Pope is not at all interested to go fishing at it. |
| 6.1 : Asitha Fernando to Dan Lawrence, Asitha continues for his fourth over on the bounce! Over the pegs, but angling down to the pads on a good length, Dan Lawrence nudges it towards wide deep mid-wicket with soft hands and along the ground for a single. |
| 6.2 : Asitha Fernando to Ollie Pope, FOUR! First boundary for the English skipper! |
| 6.3 : Asitha Fernando to Ollie Pope, Nice and full, around off, Ollie Pope responds with a confident front foot defence. |
| 6.4 : Asitha Fernando to Ollie Pope, Oh, this one takes off from the deck! Length ball, it climbs on the batter with an extra bounce on the middle, Ollie Pope gets a bit surprised with that excessive bounce but negotiates well, clips it along the ground to the square leg region for a single. |
| 6.5 : Asitha Fernando to Dan Lawrence, No run. |
| 6.6 : Asitha Fernando to Dan Lawrence, No run. |
| Lahiru Kumara comes into the attack now. |
| 7.1 : Lahiru Kumara to Ollie Pope, No run. |
| 7.2 : Lahiru Kumara to Ollie Pope, Nice and full on the stumps, Ollie Pope prods ahead and drives it straight to mid off. |
| 7.3 : Lahiru Kumara to Ollie Pope, Nagging length, closer to the body on middle, Ollie Pope taps it off the back foot with soft hands onto the pitch. |
| 7.4 : Lahiru Kumara to Ollie Pope, OUT! b Lahiru Kumara. |
| 0.0 : Well, with that massive wicket for Sri Lanka, LUNCH has been called on DAY 3! This first session had a bit of everything - rain showers, dark clouds, a surprise glimpse of sunshine, wickets tumbling intermittently, and a few aggressive strokes. After all that, itâs safe to say that England are slightly ahead in the game, but Sri Lanka will also be not too unhappy about how things panned out. |
| England wasted no time in breaking the overnight partnership, with Josh Hull redeeming himself after dropping Dhananjaya de Silva on Day 2. Rain briefly interrupted play, but after the restart, Chris Woakes dismissed Kamindu Mendis, and the bowlers didnât allow Sri Lanka to add many more runs, wrapping up the innings quickly and maintaining a 62-run lead. |
| Sri Lanka, on the other hand, would have liked to add a few more runs to the total, but from the position that they were in, they would have taken this with both hands. England came out to bat with an aggressive intent that was evident in their strokeplay. Dan Lawrence swung at absolutely everything but connecting rarely. Ben Duckett played a couple of good shots but had to depart early. Lawrence survived a few scares, but Pope's stay was cut short by Lahiru Kumara just before Lunch. A maste |
| ... DAY 3, SESSION 2 ... |
| 7.5 : Lahiru Kumara to Joe Root, No run. |
| 0.0 : We are back for the post-Lunch session! The players are already out in the middle. |
| 7.6 : Lahiru Kumara to Joe Root, Drags the length this time around does Kumara, outside off, Joe Root arches and cuts it to gully where Pathum Nissanka makes a good diving intercept. A wicket-maiden over from Lahiru Kumara. |
| 0.0 : UPDATE - 1.25 pm GMT - Oh..no! The rain has picked up pace now and the players are walking off the field. There are not many dark clouds above the ground and this is probably a passing shower. However, the forecast did say that we can expect showers at regular intervals, and by the looks of it, Day 3 will be a stop-start kind, but whatever play is possible, we hope that the game moves at a fast pace. For now, we can only wait and hope. Stay tuned for further updates. |
| UPDATE - 1.36 pm GMT -Â As expected, it was just a passing shower, and it has cleared up at The Oval. The covers are coming off as well and we are not far away from the restart. |
| We are back...again! Sri Lankan players are in their respective field positions. Dan Lawrence and Joe Root to resume batting for England. Asitha Fernando to share the attack after Lunch. |
| 8.1 : Asitha Fernando to Dan Lawrence, 2 runs. |
| 8.2 : Asitha Fernando to Dan Lawrence, No run. |
| 8.3 : Asitha Fernando to Dan Lawrence, No run. |
| 8.4 : Asitha Fernando to Dan Lawrence, How has that missed the stumps? |
| 8.5 : Asitha Fernando to Dan Lawrence, No run. |
| 8.6 : Asitha Fernando to Dan Lawrence, Swinging away outside off, Lawrence shoulders his arms. |
| 9.1 : Lahiru Kumara to Joe Root, 2 runs. |
| 9.2 : Lahiru Kumara to Joe Root, Back of a length, outside off, Joe Root offers no shot at it. |
| 9.3 : Lahiru Kumara to Joe Root, Shortens his length does Kumara, but keeps it outside off, Joe Root opts out of the pull shot as it bounces a bit more off the pitch. |
| 9.4 : Lahiru Kumara to Joe Root, No run. |
| 9.5 : Lahiru Kumara to Joe Root, Swings gently into the batter on a fuller length, at 134 kph, Joe Root prods ahead and drives it solidly to mid off. |
| 9.6 : Lahiru Kumara to Joe Root, FOUR! Root gets his first boundary! |
| 10.1 : Asitha Fernando to Dan Lawrence, Peach of a delivery! |
| 10.2 : Asitha Fernando to Dan Lawrence, 2 runs. |
| 10.3 : Asitha Fernando to Dan Lawrence, SIX! Intent! Lawrence moves into his 30s with that! Serves a friendly half volley around off, Dan Lawrence charges down the track and creates room before spanking it behind long off for a six. |
| 10.4 : Asitha Fernando to Dan Lawrence, Slightly outside off on a back of a length, Dan Lawrence is uninterested to poke at it. |
| 10.5 : Asitha Fernando to Dan Lawrence, FOUR! This is good batting! |
| 10.6 : Asitha Fernando to Dan Lawrence, Short of a length on the stumps, Lawrence tucks it in the mid-wicket region for a single to retain the strike. |
| 11.1 : Lahiru Kumara to Dan Lawrence, OUT! CAUGHT BEHIND! Lahiru Kumara strikes again and gets his second wicket and gives a sendoff to Lawrence who falls for his own aggression! |
| 0.0 : Harry Brook comes out to the middle now. |
| 11.2 : Lahiru Kumara to Harry Brook, Beaten! Back of a length, outside off, Harry Brook has a feel for it and goes to slash it away from his body without any foot movement. Gets beaten on the outside edge. |
| 11.3 : Lahiru Kumara to Harry Brook, No run. |
| 11.4 : Lahiru Kumara to Harry Brook, Brook gets off the mark with a single! On middle, on a length, Harry Brook tries to get behind the line of the ball but inside edges it towards wide square leg for a single. |
| 11.5 : Lahiru Kumara to Joe Root, Hard length, angling in and over the top of middle, Joe Root climbs on the bounce and pats it with soft hands towards point. |
| 11.6 : Lahiru Kumara to Joe Root, A stifled appeal for LBW from Kumara, but no harm done! Lands it on the back of a length, and it stays comparatively low on the bounce this time, angling at off, Joe Root hops on the back foot but gets beaten by the lack of bounce and wears it on the pads. |
| 12.1 : Asitha Fernando to Harry Brook, No run. |
| 12.2 : Asitha Fernando to Harry Brook, Absolute jaffa! |
| 12.3 : Asitha Fernando to Harry Brook, At off, this is pushes straight to mid off. |
| 12.4 : Asitha Fernando to Harry Brook, Keeps it well outside off on a hard length, Harry Brook cuts it behind square along the ground for a single at deep point. |
| 12.5 : Asitha Fernando to Joe Root, Leg bye. |
| 12.6 : Asitha Fernando to Harry Brook, Excellent channel, excellent delivery! Good length ball, swinging away outside off, Harry Brook patiently leaves it alone. This has been a good little phase for the islanders. |
| 13.1 : Lahiru Kumara to Joe Root, No run. |
| 13.2 : Lahiru Kumara to Joe Root, No run. |
| 13.3 : Lahiru Kumara to Joe Root, 1 run. |
| 13.4 : Lahiru Kumara to Harry Brook, In the channel of off, on a length, Harry Brook gets on the front foot and mistimes his shot off the inner half of the blade, down the ground for a single. |
| 13.5 : Lahiru Kumara to Joe Root, 1 run. |
| 13.6 : Lahiru Kumara to Harry Brook, Nagging length, on the off stump line, Harry Brook plants his front foot ahead and meets the ball right underneath his eyes to block it solidly. |
| Vishwa Fernando replaces Asitha Fernando. |
| 14.1 : Vishwa Fernando to Joe Root, FOUR! Classy shot! |
| 14.2 : Vishwa Fernando to Joe Root, No run. |
| 14.3 : Vishwa Fernando to Joe Root, OUT! LBW! Joe Root is gone! Massive moment in this Test! Absolute corker of a delivery from Vishwa Fernando and the bowling change works again for Sri Lanka. Dhananjaya de Silva is absolutely spot on with his decisions here. |
| 0.0 : Jamie Smith walks in at number 6 for England. |
| 14.4 : Vishwa Fernando to Jamie Smith, No run. |
| 14.5 : Vishwa Fernando to Jamie Smith, Touch fuller, on middle, swinging in again, Jamie Smith looks to play at it but gets an inside edge through square leg for a single. |
| 14.6 : Vishwa Fernando to Harry Brook, Very full again, outside off, angles away too, Harry Brook leaves it alone. |
| 15.1 : Lahiru Kumara to Jamie Smith, On a length and on off, Jamie Smith steers it away towards point. |
| 15.2 : Lahiru Kumara to Jamie Smith, Pitches it up, on off, Jamie Smith looks to drive it through covers but hits it from the bottom part of the part, it rolls wide of mid on for a brace. |
| 15.3 : Lahiru Kumara to Jamie Smith, Good leave! Lahiru Kumara lands this on a hard length and just around off, jags back in sharply. Jamie Smith trusts the bounce on the surface and leaves it on length, the ball goes past the off pole. |
| 15.4 : Lahiru Kumara to Jamie Smith, No run. |
| 15.5 : Lahiru Kumara to Jamie Smith, Lahiru Kumara bangs in a bouncer now, on middle, Jamie Smith ducks under it well. |
| 15.6 : Lahiru Kumara to Jamie Smith, Good length and on off, angling in, Jamie Smith is solid in his defense again. |
| 16.1 : Vishwa Fernando to Harry Brook, Fuller and on off, shaping in, Harry Brook prods forward and blocks it out. |
| 16.2 : Vishwa Fernando to Harry Brook, Almost! |
| 16.3 : Vishwa Fernando to Harry Brook, OUT! LBW! Vishwa Fernando with the double whammy! He is absolutely on fire here! England are crumbling at the Oval, who would have thought this? |
| 0.0 : Chris Woakes walks in at number 7. |
| 16.4 : Vishwa Fernando to Chris Woakes, No run. |
| 16.5 : Vishwa Fernando to Chris Woakes, Touch fuller, on off, Chris Woakes hangs his bat away and blocks it. |
| 16.6 : Vishwa Fernando to Chris Woakes, No run. |
| 17.1 : Lahiru Kumara to Jamie Smith, 1 run. |
| 17.2 : Lahiru Kumara to Chris Woakes, No run. |
| 17.3 : Lahiru Kumara to Chris Woakes, No run. |
| 17.4 : Lahiru Kumara to Chris Woakes, OUT! c Dinesh Chandimal b Lahiru Kumara. |
| 17.5 : Lahiru Kumara to Gus Atkinson, No run. |
| 0.0 : Halt! Oh, dear! This does not look good for Chandimal. |
| 17.6 : Lahiru Kumara to Gus Atkinson, No run. |
| 18.1 : Vishwa Fernando to Jamie Smith, No run. |
| 18.2 : Vishwa Fernando to Jamie Smith, No run. |
| 18.3 : Vishwa Fernando to Jamie Smith, No run. |
| 18.4 : Vishwa Fernando to Jamie Smith, No run. |
| 18.5 : Vishwa Fernando to Jamie Smith, No run. |
| 18.6 : Vishwa Fernando to Jamie Smith, Length ball around the pads, Jamie Smith clips it off the back foot to deep square leg for a single. |
| 0.0 : Drinks! Well, a lot has happened after the play resumed since Lunch. |
| 19.1 : Milan Rathnayake to Jamie Smith, Milan Rathnayake comes into the attack. Hurls it full and right in the channel around off, Jamie Smith expects the ball to swing away and attempts to drive over the line of the ball and gets deceived. The ball sneaks past his inside edge. |
| 19.2 : Milan Rathnayake to Jamie Smith, No run. |
| 19.3 : Milan Rathnayake to Jamie Smith, Slightly full and on off, Jamie Smith prods ahead and confidently responds it to short cover. |
| 19.4 : Milan Rathnayake to Jamie Smith, No run. |
| 19.5 : Milan Rathnayake to Jamie Smith, Attacks the line of the off stump, on a good length, Jamie Smith jumps on the back foot and punches it solidly to point. |
| 19.6 : Milan Rathnayake to Jamie Smith, Outside off, a nip-backer that jags back in sharply after pitching, on a length, Jamie Smith weighs forward to drive it through the covers but gets a thickish inside edge that runs towards deep backward square leg. They cross for a single. |
| 20.1 : Vishwa Fernando to Jamie Smith, No run. |
| 20.2 : Vishwa Fernando to Jamie Smith, Wayward down leg on a hard length, Jamie Smith looks to guide it away with a glance by advancing, but misses by a mile. |
| 20.3 : Vishwa Fernando to Jamie Smith, 1 run. |
| 20.4 : Vishwa Fernando to Gus Atkinson, No run. |
| 20.5 : Vishwa Fernando to Gus Atkinson, Fairly outside off on a length, Gus Atkinson leaves. |
| 20.6 : Vishwa Fernando to Gus Atkinson, An appeal for LBW but turned down! |
| 21.1 : Milan Rathnayake to Jamie Smith, Four! |
| 21.2 : Milan Rathnayake to Jamie Smith, 1 run. |
| 21.3 : Milan Rathnayake to Gus Atkinson, No run. |
| 21.4 : Milan Rathnayake to Gus Atkinson, 1 run. |
| 21.5 : Milan Rathnayake to Jamie Smith, 1 run. |
| 21.6 : Milan Rathnayake to Gus Atkinson, Short and going down leg, Gus Atkinson plays at it but misses. |
| 22.1 : Vishwa Fernando to Jamie Smith, No run. |
| 22.2 : Vishwa Fernando to Jamie Smith, No run. |
| 22.3 : Vishwa Fernando to Jamie Smith, 1 run. |
| 22.4 : Vishwa Fernando to Gus Atkinson, Nagging length, around off and middle, Gus Atkinson strides out and blocks it solidly to mid off. |
| 22.5 : Vishwa Fernando to Gus Atkinson, An appeal for LBW, again! But the umpire, Joel Wilson is unmoved! Clearly pitching outside leg. |
| 22.6 : Vishwa Fernando to Gus Atkinson, Length on the stumps, around middle and leg, Gus Atkinson steers it to the square leg region. |
| 23.1 : Milan Rathnayake to Jamie Smith, 1 run. |
| 23.2 : Milan Rathnayake to Gus Atkinson, Back of a length and on middle, angling into the body of the batter, Gus Atkinson looks to clip it away but misses. |
| 23.3 : Milan Rathnayake to Gus Atkinson, On a length and around off, Gus Atkinson pushes it away towards covers. |
| 23.4 : Milan Rathnayake to Gus Atkinson, OUT! LBW! A huge confident appeal for LBW from the Lankans and up goes the finger! |
| 0.0 : Olly Stone walks out to bat now. |
| 23.5 : Milan Rathnayake to Olly Stone, That testing length again! Shade of an away movement outside off, Olly Stone hangs his bat away from his body and gets beaten. |
| 23.6 : Milan Rathnayake to Olly Stone, Strays it on the pads, full in length, Olly Stone misses his flick shot and the ball deflects off his front pad and runs down to deep fine. They cross. |
| 24.1 : Vishwa Fernando to Olly Stone, Back of a length, on leg, Olly Stone taps it to mid on. |
| 24.2 : Vishwa Fernando to Olly Stone, An ambitious appeal for caught behind but just out of excitement. |
| 24.3 : Vishwa Fernando to Olly Stone, No run. |
| 24.4 : Vishwa Fernando to Olly Stone, Goes full and slightly on the off stump line, Olly Stone gets a thickish inside edge that runs to mid-wicket. |
| 24.5 : Vishwa Fernando to Olly Stone, No run. |
| 24.6 : Vishwa Fernando to Olly Stone, Hard length, across off, Olly Stone taps it to wide mid off for a quick single. |
| 25.1 : Asitha Fernando to Olly Stone, The field is set for the short-ball tactics! Asitha Fernando as expected bangs in a bouncer, on middle, Olly Stone ducks under it. |
| 24.6 : Asitha Fernando (7-0-36-1) is back on. He replaces Milan Rathnayake. |
| 25.2 : Asitha Fernando to Olly Stone, Another bumper, on middle and leg, Olly Stone ducks underneath it again. |
| 25.3 : Asitha Fernando to Olly Stone, Fiery stuff! Asitha Fernando comes 'over the wicket and lands this back of a length, takes off viciously, Olly Stone drops his hands and sways away from the line of it. |
| 25.4 : Asitha Fernando to Olly Stone, No run. |
| 25.5 : Asitha Fernando to Olly Stone, Short of a length and on off, Olly Stone hops up and keeps it out to the off side. The Lankans need to make him play to create chances here. |
| 0.0 : The Sri Lankan bowlers have been more on the shorter side of the pitch since a few overs now. |
| 25.6 : Asitha Fernando to Olly Stone, Short stuff again, on middle, another easy duck for Stone. |
| 26.1 : Milan Rathnayake to Jamie Smith, In the air....safe! |
| 26.2 : Milan Rathnayake to Jamie Smith, Four! |
| 26.3 : Milan Rathnayake to Jamie Smith, Six! |
| 26.4 : Milan Rathnayake to Jamie Smith, Much better! Good length and on off, Jamie Smith stays back and blocks it out. |
| 26.5 : Milan Rathnayake to Jamie Smith, FOUR! Glorious shot! Milan Rathnayake goes fuller and on middle, Jamie Smith presents the full face of the bat and lifts it smoothly over the bowler's head for a boundary. Smith is getting a move on now, the 100 also comes up for England! |
| 26.6 : Milan Rathnayake to Jamie Smith, FOUR MORE! 20 runs off the over! Hard length and around off, Jamie Smith stays back in his crease, gets on top of the ball and punches it away with sweet timing through covers for four more runs. |
| 27.1 : Asitha Fernando to Olly Stone, No run. |
| 27.2 : Asitha Fernando to Olly Stone, No run. |
| 27.3 : Asitha Fernando to Olly Stone, Half an appeal, but nothing doing! Asitha Fernando hits the hard length and on the sixth stump line, gets it to nip away late, Olly Stone has a nibble at it but just gets beaten on the outside edge. |
| 27.4 : Asitha Fernando to Olly Stone, No run. |
| 27.5 : Asitha Fernando to Olly Stone, Goes on a good length and on middle, but this one too angles down the leg side, Olly Stone looks to glance it away but misses. |
| 27.6 : Asitha Fernando to Olly Stone, A maiden to follow that expensive over! Short of a length again, on middle, shapes in, Olly Stone gets a bit cramped up but does well to stab it to the leg side. |
| 28.1 : Vishwa Fernando to Jamie Smith, Fuller and on the pads, Jamie Smith clips it away aerially wide of deep square leg for a couple of runs. |
| 28.2 : Vishwa Fernando to Jamie Smith, Full again and on the leg stump line, Jamie Smith easily nudges it away wide of mid-wicket for a brace. The runs are coming thick and fast now! |
| 28.3 : Vishwa Fernando to Jamie Smith, FOUR! Wonderful batting! Vishwa Fernando goes full again and on leg, Jamie Smith uses his feet to go inside out, extends his arms nicely and smacks it over the head of mid off for a boundary. |
| 28.4 : Vishwa Fernando to Jamie Smith, FOUR! The crowd is finding its voice again! |
| 28.5 : Vishwa Fernando to Jamie Smith, 2 runs. |
| 28.6 : Vishwa Fernando to Jamie Smith, 2 runs. |
| 29.1 : Asitha Fernando to Olly Stone, Back of a length and on off, Olly Stone stabs it out to the off side. |
| 29.2 : Asitha Fernando to Olly Stone, BEATEN! Good length and around off, swings away sharply, Olly Stone slashes hard at it but gets beaten on the outside edge. |
| 29.3 : Asitha Fernando to Olly Stone, Tocuh fuller, on off, Olly Stone knocks it back to the bowler with no timing at all. |
| 29.4 : Asitha Fernando to Olly Stone, On a length and on leg, Olly Stone nudges it towards fine leg for a single. |
| 29.5 : Asitha Fernando to Jamie Smith, Sharp bowling! |
| 29.6 : Asitha Fernando to Jamie Smith, FOUR! Powered away! Hard length this time and just around off, Jamie Smith backs away to free his arms and slaps it away past mid off for another boundary. England are 187 runs ahead now! |
| 30.1 : Vishwa Fernando to Olly Stone, Fuller and around off, Olly Stone strides out and plays a lovely covers drive, Lahiru Kumara chases after it and just about manages to push it back inside in time with a dive forward. Three runs taken. |
| 30.2 : Vishwa Fernando to Jamie Smith, FOUR! 'Catch it is the call, but this one's in the gap! |
| 30.3 : Vishwa Fernando to Jamie Smith, Short of a length and outside off, Jamie Smith tries to cut it away but bunts it on the ground. |
| 30.4 : Vishwa Fernando to Jamie Smith, FOUR! Superb batting! |
| 30.5 : Vishwa Fernando to Jamie Smith, FOUR! The game is slipping away from Sri Lanka now! |
| 30.6 : Vishwa Fernando to Jamie Smith, OUT! STRAIGHT TO THE FIELDER! |
| 0.0 : Wow, what a rollercoaster of a session this has been as we head into Tea on Day 3. The momentum has tilted back and forth in this Test so far. The session started with Sri Lankan bowlers on the top but England, despite losing quick wickets midway through, wouldn't be too displeased to go back to the sheds as they managed to extend the lead above 200 runs, courtesy of Jamie Smith's immaculate acceleration. |
| The second session too, was interrupted due to rain for a brief period. Dan Lawrence and Joe Root tried to form a steady alliance after that. Lawrence however, scored a run-a-ball 35 but looked rusty for most of the part before perishing. With 3 down on 56, and the lead just above 120, England needed a steady hand to extend the lead. But Root, too, fell at quick intervals without much of an impact. England slipped from 56/2 to 82/7 in just a span of 12 overs or so. Jamie Smith stuck at one end s |
| After Sri Lanka were bowled out with 62 runs left, all the demand was to strike a strong comeback with the ball and they got one. The Lankan pacers sincerely bowled their hearts out after the break. Used the breeze to their benefit and generated a decent movement. Lahiru Kumara struck thrice with the Fernando duos and Rathnayake, too, snagging wickets to their name. There was a bit of a cat and mouse versus Brook as well as they puzzled him outside off. Sri Lanka fought back hard as Dhananjaya |
| Right then, as true to its nature, the 'Moving Day' has moved rapidly. With England looking a bit more comfortable with a lead above 200, Sri Lanka will aim to get those two wickets as quickly as possible. And whatever adds to this lead, will be extremely beneficial for England to pressurize the islanders. Stay tuned as the third and final session of Day 3 is up next shortly. Join us at 4 pm GMT. |
| ... DAY 3, SESSION 3 ... |
| We are back for the final session! No signs of dark clouds and the sun is shining brightly here at the Oval. |
| 31.1 : Asitha Fernando to Olly Stone, Starts off with a shorter one, over the top of off, Olly Stone attempts to ramp it over but it is just too high to connect. The fine third fielder is there for the trap though. |
| 31.2 : Asitha Fernando to Olly Stone, Length, nipping away, outside off, Olly Stone swings and misses. |
| 31.3 : Asitha Fernando to Olly Stone, No run. |
| 31.4 : Asitha Fernando to Olly Stone, First run after the Tea break for England. Back of a length, on the pads, Olly Stone hops on the back foot and glances it towards deep backward square leg for an easy single. |
| 31.5 : Asitha Fernando to Josh Hull, Over the wicket now, sharp good length ball, around off, Josh Hull hangs his bat away from his body and gets beaten. |
| 31.6 : Asitha Fernando to Josh Hull, Just short of gully! Back of a length, skidding through quickly off the deck, on the middle and leg, Josh Hull closes the bat face way too early and it goes off his gloves and lands in front of gully. |
| Lahiru Kumara to share the attack. |
| 32.1 : Lahiru Kumara to Olly Stone, FOUR! Punched away! Back of a length, around off, Olly Stone gets the desired bounce and width on offer, stands up and punches it on the up through covers for a boundary. The lead now is 207 runs. |
| 0.0 : Shoaib Bashir is the last man in. |
| 32.2 : Lahiru Kumara to Olly Stone, OUT! CAUGHT BEHIND! Lahiru Kumara strikes for the fourth time and England are 9 down now. |
| 32.3 : Lahiru Kumara to Shoaib Bashir, No run. |
| 32.4 : Lahiru Kumara to Shoaib Bashir, Four! |
| 32.5 : Lahiru Kumara to Shoaib Bashir, No run. |
| 32.6 : Lahiru Kumara to Shoaib Bashir, Another ambitious appeal for caught behind but 'No' says the umpire. Lahiru goes much fuller this time and keeps it outside off, Shoaib Bashir crouches a bit to drive through the covers but fails to bring his bat down in time and plays it late. The ball flirts past his outside edge to the keeper. |
| 33.1 : Asitha Fernando to Josh Hull, Six! |
| 33.2 : Asitha Fernando to Josh Hull, No run. |
| 33.3 : Asitha Fernando to Josh Hull, A bit more close to the stumps, on an identical length, Josh Hull swivels to pull but misses to connect any bat on it. |
| 33.4 : Asitha Fernando to Josh Hull, EDGED AND SAFE! |
| 33.5 : Asitha Fernando to Shoaib Bashir, No run. |
| 33.6 : Asitha Fernando to Shoaib Bashir, OUT! CAUGHT BEHIND! That's it! Sri Lanka have wrapped England on 156! |
| 0.0 : 219 is the magical number for Sri Lanka! The visitors will be pretty happy with their bowling effort as they have managed to bowl out England for just 156 here. This has been a remarkable fightback from the Lankans with the bowlers leading the charge. They started well by picking up a couple of wickets in the short period before Lunch that set the tone for them. The second session saw them completely taking over as they picked up wickets in quick succession not letting the batters settle in. Th |
| England, on the other hand, would not have thought that they would find themselves in this position, but they have enough firepower to defend this total. Not much to talk about their batting in the second innings as no one really could make much of an impact. It was Dan Lawrence's run-a-ball 35 that gave them a steady start, but the only bright spot was Jamie Smith who kept losing partners at one end but kept attacking the bowlers and racking up the runs quickly. He notched up a fine half-centu |
| ... FOURTH INNINGS ... |
| We are back for the chase! |
| 0.1 : Chris Woakes to Pathum Nissanka, No run. |
| 0.2 : Chris Woakes to Pathum Nissanka, Good length and on middle, angling in, Pathum Nissanka clips it towards short leg, Dan Lawrence picks it up on the bounce and fakes a throw at the batter's end. |
| 0.3 : Chris Woakes to Pathum Nissanka, FOUR! Sri Lanka are underway! |
| 0.4 : Chris Woakes to Pathum Nissanka, No run. |
| 0.5 : Chris Woakes to Pathum Nissanka, FOUR! Streaky but they all count! |
| 0.6 : Chris Woakes to Pathum Nissanka, No run. |
| 0.0 : Gus Atkinson to operate from the end. |
| 1.1 : Gus Atkinson to Dimuth Karunaratne, Gus Atkinson begins with a good-length delivery around off, angling away, Dimuth Karunaratne leaves it alone. |
| 1.2 : Gus Atkinson to Dimuth Karunaratne, Back of a length and on the sixth stump line, angles away again, Dimuth Karunaratne lets it go to the keeper. |
| 1.4 : Gus Atkinson to Dimuth Karunaratne, No run. |
| 1.3 : Gus Atkinson to Dimuth Karunaratne, Uppish but safe! Goes fuller and around off, Dimuth Karunaratne strides out to drive it away but gets an thickish outside edge that goes on the bounce to gully. |
| 1.5 : Gus Atkinson to Dimuth Karunaratne, Hard length and on off, Dimuth Karunaratne stays back and stabs it out towards short covers. |
| 1.6 : Gus Atkinson to Dimuth Karunaratne, Short of a length and around off, Dimuth Karunaratne punches it away through covers for a couple of runs. With that, Dimuth Karunaratne also crosses 7000 runs in Test cricket. |
| 2.1 : Chris Woakes to Pathum Nissanka, Full and on middle, straightens a bit, Pathum Nissanka gets across and blocks it out. |
| 2.2 : Chris Woakes to Pathum Nissanka, FOUR! Beautiful shot! Full again and on off, no movement this time, Pathum Nissanka leans on a bit and drives it away with a high elbow, times it sweetly through mid off for a boundary. |
| 2.3 : Chris Woakes to Pathum Nissanka, Pitched up and around off, Pathum Nissanka pushes it away through covers for a couple of runs. |
| 2.4 : Chris Woakes to Pathum Nissanka, Good length and on the fifth stump line, shapes away, Pathum Nissanka gets squared up as he steers it away towards point. |
| 2.5 : Chris Woakes to Pathum Nissanka, Length again, on middle, Pathum Nissanka works it off the inner half of the bat towards square leg for one. |
| 2.6 : Chris Woakes to Dimuth Karunaratne, A bit fuller and around off, angling away, Dimuth Karunaratne leaves it alone. |
| 3.1 : Gus Atkinson to Pathum Nissanka, FOUR! Pathum Nissanka looks in really good touch here! |
| 3.2 : Gus Atkinson to Pathum Nissanka, A massive shout for LBW, but turned down! However, England takes the review here. |
| 3.3 : Gus Atkinson to Pathum Nissanka, No run. |
| 3.4 : Gus Atkinson to Pathum Nissanka, 3 runs. |
| 3.5 : Gus Atkinson to Dimuth Karunaratne, No run. |
| 3.6 : Gus Atkinson to Dimuth Karunaratne, FOUR! Not far away from Pope at gully but it goes through! |
| 4.1 : Chris Woakes to Pathum Nissanka, On a length and on middle, Pathum Nissanka tucks it away toward short mid-wicket. |
| 4.2 : Chris Woakes to Pathum Nissanka, Close! Back of a length and just around off, Pathum Nissanka looks to cut it away, but this is too close to his body, gets an inside edge that just goes past the stumps and towards fine leg. They cross. |
| 4.3 : Chris Woakes to Dimuth Karunaratne, No run. |
| 4.4 : Chris Woakes to Dimuth Karunaratne, BEAUTY! Chris Woakes hits the good length around middle, gets it to nip away, Dimuth Karunaratne stays back in his crease to defend, but gets beaten on the outside edge. |
| 4.5 : Chris Woakes to Dimuth Karunaratne, No run. |
| 4.6 : Chris Woakes to Dimuth Karunaratne, Short of a length and on off, Dimuth Karunaratne punches it towards covers. |
| 5.1 : Gus Atkinson to Pathum Nissanka, FOUR! Gets it through again! |
| 5.2 : Gus Atkinson to Pathum Nissanka, Good length and on off, Pathum Nissanka guides it away towards point. |
| 5.3 : Gus Atkinson to Pathum Nissanka, 1 run. |
| 5.4 : Gus Atkinson to Dimuth Karunaratne, 2 runs. |
| 5.5 : Gus Atkinson to Dimuth Karunaratne, No run. |
| 5.6 : Gus Atkinson to Dimuth Karunaratne, Bangs it into the pitch again, on off, Dimuth Karunaratne rides the bounce well and keeps it out to the off side. |
| 6.1 : Chris Woakes to Pathum Nissanka, Full and around off, Pathum Nissanka takes his front foot closer to the line of the ball and drives it away through covers for three runs. |
| 6.2 : Chris Woakes to Dimuth Karunaratne, No run. |
| 6.3 : Chris Woakes to Dimuth Karunaratne, No run. |
| 6.4 : Chris Woakes to Dimuth Karunaratne, No run. |
| 6.5 : Chris Woakes to Dimuth Karunaratne, Absolute beauty! Hits the good length and around off, shapes away sharply, Dimuth Karunaratne looks to push it away but gets beaten on the outside edge. |
| 6.6 : Chris Woakes to Dimuth Karunaratne, OUT! c & b Chris Woakes. |
| 0.0 : Kusal Mendis walks in at number 3. |
| 7.1 : Gus Atkinson to Pathum Nissanka, 1 run. |
| 7.2 : Gus Atkinson to Kusal Mendis, Full and around off, Kusal Mendis watches it closely and taps it to short cover for a single. |
| 7.3 : Gus Atkinson to Pathum Nissanka, No run. |
| 7.4 : Gus Atkinson to Pathum Nissanka, Full and on the leg stump line, Pathum Nissanka steers it off the front foot towards deep backward square leg for a single. |
| 7.5 : Gus Atkinson to Kusal Mendis, 1 run. |
| 7.6 : Gus Atkinson to Pathum Nissanka, Straight and on the pads, Pathum Nissanka misses to flick and wears it on the front pad. The ball deflects and lobs a bit uppishly and lands to the square leg region. Olly Stone from short fine leg runs to his left and intercepts the ball. The batters do cross for a leg bye but cannot get more than that. |
| 8.1 : Chris Woakes to Pathum Nissanka, Four slips and a gully in place for Woakes now! He goes full and straight at off, Pathum Nissanka prods ahead to drive it straight but gets it off the inner half of the bat towards the wide mid-wicket region for a quick single. |
| 8.2 : Chris Woakes to Kusal Mendis, Shortish length, just outside off, Kusal Mendis swivels for a pull shot but inside edges it onto the thigh pad and the ball rolls to the short cover region. |
| 8.3 : Chris Woakes to Kusal Mendis, Straight and angling on the pads, Kusal Mendis misses to glance it away and wears it high on the thigh pad. The ball trickles to the square leg region and they cross for the double quickly. |
| 8.4 : Chris Woakes to Kusal Mendis, Length outside off, left alone. |
| 8.5 : Chris Woakes to Kusal Mendis, Holds on the line outside off, on a hard length, Kusal Mendis stays leg side of the ball and punches it off the back foot towards the short cover region. |
| 8.6 : Chris Woakes to Kusal Mendis, Oh, this one curves back a fraction from outside off, on a nagging length, Kusal Mendis reads it closely and makes a watchful leave. |
| Change. |
| 9.1 : Josh Hull to Pathum Nissanka, Hull starts with three slips in place including a wide gully. Begins from over the pegs, lands it on a hard length, across off, Pathum Nissanka weighs on the front foot with a good stride ahead and shoulders arms at it. |
| 9.2 : Josh Hull to Pathum Nissanka, A wide leg slip is in now for Hull. He bowls it on the fourth stump line, it holds its line and straightens rather than swinging into the batter. Pathum Nissanka gets ahead and plays inside the line and gets beaten by a whisker on the outside edge. |
| 9.3 : Josh Hull to Pathum Nissanka, Woakes has been absolutely athletic in the field! Excellent effort by the veteran. With this, 50 comes up for Sri Lanka! |
| 9.4 : Josh Hull to Pathum Nissanka, No run. |
| 9.5 : Josh Hull to Pathum Nissanka, No run. |
| 9.6 : Josh Hull to Pathum Nissanka, Shaping down the leg a bit more, on a length, Pathum Nissanka misses to tickle it away and Jamie Smith collects it low to his left. |
| 10.1 : Chris Woakes to Kusal Mendis, FOUR! Creamed away! |
| 10.2 : Chris Woakes to Kusal Mendis, Good length and outside the off stump, Kusal shoulders his arms. |
| 10.3 : Chris Woakes to Kusal Mendis, FOUR! Flicked away nicely! |
| 10.4 : Chris Woakes to Kusal Mendis, No run. |
| 10.5 : Chris Woakes to Kusal Mendis, Back of a length, and outside off, Kusal Mendis lets it be. |
| 10.6 : Chris Woakes to Kusal Mendis, FOUR! In the gap and four more! |
| 11.1 : Josh Hull to Pathum Nissanka, Full and outside off, Pathum Nissanka pats his front foot ahead and lofts it over covers for a brace. |
| 11.2 : Josh Hull to Pathum Nissanka, Four! |
| 11.3 : Josh Hull to Pathum Nissanka, 1 run. |
| 11.4 : Josh Hull to Kusal Mendis, Hull searches for a fuller one, but slips in a tailing in full toss on the knee length, Kusal Mendis reacts a bit late to swipe it across, inside edges onto the pads. |
| 11.5 : Josh Hull to Kusal Mendis, Pope has now moved from gully to mid-wicket! Hull bangs it short at 132 kph, on the leg stump, Kusal Mendis pulls it comfortably towards deep mid-wicket and completes the second run easily. |
| 11.6 : Josh Hull to Kusal Mendis, FOUR! Kusal Mendis into his 20s now! Sweetly timed shot! Across off on the back of a length, Kusal Mendis waits for it to arrive, goes on the back foot and cuts it past cover-point for a cracking boundary. No chance for Olly Stone to intercept it who charges in to his right from deep backward point. |
| 12.1 : Olly Stone to Pathum Nissanka, Olly Stone replaces Woakes! |
| 12.2 : Olly Stone to Kusal Mendis, FOUR! Crunched away! The Sri Lankan batters have been very productive through the covers! Short of a good length, a hit me ball outside off, Kusal Mendis pounces on the width and crunches it with a solid punch through cover for a boundary. |
| 12.3 : Olly Stone to Kusal Mendis, Brings the angle a bit closer but it is still outside off, on a good length, Kusal Mendis hangs his bat and gets beaten on the back foot. |
| 12.4 : Olly Stone to Kusal Mendis, No run. |
| 12.5 : Olly Stone to Kusal Mendis, No run. |
| 12.6 : Olly Stone to Kusal Mendis, Banged in short and around off, Kusal Mendis is hurried into the shot and manages it to glove it away to the wide point region. It must have stung him hard on the fingers though. |
| 0.0 : Drinks! Well, the Sri Lankans have well and truly asserted their dominance in this Test now. With 219 to chase, Pathum Nissanka and Dimuth Karunaratne started off steadily with the former scoring at a brisk rate. Sri Lanka did lose Karunaratne cheaply but the Kusal-Nissanka alliance has looked unfazed. They have added 42 runs together so far without any risky strokes. |
| 13.1 : Josh Hull to Pathum Nissanka, No run. |
| 13.2 : Josh Hull to Pathum Nissanka, Attacks the pegs, on a fuller length, Pathum Nissanka watchfully guides it to gully. |
| 13.3 : Josh Hull to Pathum Nissanka, Oh, that almost flew off the deck, but Jamie Smith does well to collect it behind the stumps! Hull gets a good bounce and carry on a good length, across off, Nissanka goes for a wild pull and misses. |
| 13.4 : Josh Hull to Pathum Nissanka, 2 runs. |
| 13.5 : Josh Hull to Pathum Nissanka, Oh, almost a chance created! |
| 13.6 : Josh Hull to Pathum Nissanka, FOUR! Cracked away! FIFTY for Nissanka! His 7th in the Test career! Josh Hull overcompensates and lands a juicy half volley around off, Pathum Nissanka pats his front foot, slaps it through the cover and mid off for a boundary. |
| 14.1 : Shoaib Bashir to Kusal Mendis, Four! |
| 0.0 : Well, it has started to drizzle now, and the umpires also deem that the light is not safe enough for the pacers to bowl. Ollie Pope has a chat with the umpire and after having a discussion with his players asks Shoaib Bashir to come into the attack. |
| 14.2 : Shoaib Bashir to Kusal Mendis, 1 run. |
| 14.3 : Shoaib Bashir to Pathum Nissanka, 1 run. |
| 14.4 : Shoaib Bashir to Kusal Mendis, TURN AND BOUNCE! |
| 14.5 : Shoaib Bashir to Kusal Mendis, 1 run. |
| 14.6 : Shoaib Bashir to Pathum Nissanka, No run. |
| 0.0 : UPDATE - 5.47 pm GMT - One more over? Not as of now. The artificial light has taken over now and the players are being requested to walk off the field. It is not officially called Stumps as yet though. Nasser on-air reckons that the weather for Day 4 is not a promising one either. |
| Well, it didn't take long, did it? The official word is in and that will be STUMPS ON DAY 3! An amazing day of Test cricket and this is exactly why we love this format. |
| 'Moving Day', as the cricket pundits call it, and the first session had a bit of everything - rain, aggressive strokes, brilliant bowling all combined. England aimed to lay a siege on Day 3 at their opponents by taking early wickets and the first hour of any day in Test cricket is very crucial and a bit tough for the batting side. The ball moved and curved in the early morning and tested the patience of the batters. Hull, in redemption, dismissed DDS whom he dropped on Day 2. |
| This dismissal triggered a procession of wickets. The pace bowlers, who had limited opportunities on the second day due to poor light, diligently performed their duties this time around, removing Sri Lanka's lower-order batters who struggled to add runs. Despite this, Sri Lanka managed to reduce the deficit to double digits. England's bowlers implemented a strategy of short-pitched deliveries to dismantle the Sri Lankan tail. This tactic proved effective, allowing England to execute their plans |
| Cut to the second session, Sri Lanka came well-prepared as their pacers ran a riot and cleaned up the English top order in a flash. Root, Duckett, Pope, and Brook all went without any impact and Sri Lanka were sniffing a comeback with the lead not as threatening as it could. But in comes the young 24-year-old Jamie Smith who valiantly battled the storm single-handedly and bailed England out of an extremely turbulent situation. But, the Lankan bowlers are to be fairly blamed here, when the ball w |
| However, as the third and final session began, Sri Lanka didn't waste much time to clean up the tail. They then faced the task of chasing 219 for victory, a target that, while seemingly moderate, carries significant weight in Test cricket where any pursuit exceeding 200 can prove challenging. Karunaratne and Pathum Nissanka approached their innings with poise and skill, initiating a steady start to the chase. Their composed batting, coupled with a brisk scoring rate, especially from Nissanka, so |
| In came the Pathum Nissanka-Kusal Mendis alliance who didn't flinch a bit and took the English bowlers, almost taking a leaf out of England's approach. They played on merit and avoided any risky shots that could create any inroad for the opposition. But fair to say, England wouldn't be really pleased with how the last session panned out for them.  |
| So, the third day of this final Test has bounced back and forth in favor of both sides, but Sri Lanka, surely will be the happier of the two sides to have managed to assert dominance as of now. England has been good, but in patches and now, they need 9 wickets but have 125 runs to defend. |
| Right then, that is it from our coverage of an immersive Day 3 of this final Test, Sri Lanka is in the driving seat with two of their accomplished batters standing unbeaten. Although, they will have to score 125 more runs to taste the sweet nectare of victory. Will they be able to prevent England from executing a 6-0 sweep in this summer? Or will England miraculously strike back as they have a decent attack in the bowling ranks? Only time will tell. The first hour of the new day's play will be |
| ... DAY 4, SESSION 1 ... |
| Hello and welcome, everyone! Day 3 was action-packed, with the game moving at a rapid pace. While the weather played its part again, Sri Lanka made an impressive comeback in the available play. They now find themselves in a strong position, and it wouldnât be wrong to say they are the current favorites. England had a tough day with both bat and ball, and their hopes of finishing the summer with a perfect Test record have taken a hit. As we head into Day 4, despite some weather concerns, a re |
| England began Day 3 strongly, with their pacers exploiting the conditions to wrap up Sri Lanka's innings, securing a 62-run lead. However, in the brief period before Lunch, they lost Ben Duckett and Ollie Pope cheaply. After the break, Englandâs middle order collapsed again, with Jamie Smith being the lone bright spot. Despite little support, he counter-attacked brilliantly, scoring a quick-fire 67 and helping England set a target of 219. Though Chris Woakes dismissed Dimuth Karunaratne |
| Despite conceding the lead, Sri Lanka showed far more hunger and determination than in previous games. Their bowlers were on point from the start, and every decision by skipper Dhananjaya de Silva paid off immediately. The second session was crucial, with Vishwa Fernandoâs brilliant in-swinging yorkers removing Joe Root and Harry Brook. Though Jamie Smith fought back with a quick 67, Sri Lanka dismissed him just before Tea and swiftly cleaned up the tail. In the run chase, Pathum Nissanka |
| As reckoned by Nasser Hussain on-air yesterday, the London skies are dark with a thick cloud cover hovering, threatening to pour down. Also, it is comparatively very cold and windy out there - 15 degrees, to be precise. It hasn't rained though, but the moisture content of a cold morning, with an already dampened surface coming into Day 4, will play a big factor as it will help the ball to curve and tail in. The seamers often tend to get some assistance off the deck in such conditions. So, the f |
| All set for Day 4 to commence at the Kennington Oval! |
| 15.1 : Gus Atkinson to Kusal Mendis, Not an ideal start! Gus Atkinson goes full but loses his line and serves this down the leg side, Kusal Mendis misses his flick. |
| 15.2 : Gus Atkinson to Kusal Mendis, Back of a length and on middle, Kusal Mendis stays back and pats it down towards short mid-wicket. |
| 15.3 : Gus Atkinson to Kusal Mendis, Short of a length and just outside off, Kusal Mendis goes for the cut but loses his bottom hand and mistimes it to point. |
| 15.4 : Gus Atkinson to Kusal Mendis, No run. |
| 15.5 : Gus Atkinson to Kusal Mendis, Hard length, on middle, Kusal Mendis clips it towards short leg, a fumble but no harm done. |
| 15.6 : Gus Atkinson to Kusal Mendis, FOUR! Sri Lanka gets going on Day 4! Gus Atkinson pitches it up a bit more and on off, Kusal Mendis strides out, presents the full face of the bat and drives it away beautifully through mid off, Ollie Pope gives chase and slides in to push it back inside but fails to do so. First boundary of the day! |
| 0.0 : Chris Woakes (6-0-32-1) to share the attack. |
| 16.1 : Chris Woakes to Pathum Nissanka, Chris Woakes begins with a good-length delivery, on off, shapes away a bit, Pathum Nissanka stays back and blocks it out towards short covers. |
| 16.2 : Chris Woakes to Pathum Nissanka, No run. |
| 16.3 : Chris Woakes to Pathum Nissanka, Edged but does not carry! |
| 16.4 : Chris Woakes to Pathum Nissanka, 1 run. |
| 16.5 : Chris Woakes to Kusal Mendis, Short of a length and around off, Kusal Mendis dabs it out towards point. |
| 16.6 : Chris Woakes to Kusal Mendis, Hits the length hard, on off again, Kusal Mendis stabs it down towards gully this time. |
| 17.1 : Gus Atkinson to Pathum Nissanka, Full and on middle, shaping in sharply, Pathum Nissanka looks to block it out but gets an inside edge just past short leg, the batters take two. 100 up for Sri Lanka! |
| 17.2 : Gus Atkinson to Pathum Nissanka, Full again and on off, shapes in again, Pathum Nissanka drills it down the ground, but there is a mid on who mops it up. |
| 17.3 : Gus Atkinson to Pathum Nissanka, Back of a length and on middle, Pathum Nissanka hops up and pats it on the bounce to short leg. |
| 17.4 : Gus Atkinson to Pathum Nissanka, Hits the good length, on off, nips back in, Pathum Nissanka gets a bit cramped up, but manages to negate the bounce and keeps it out to the leg side. |
| 17.5 : Gus Atkinson to Pathum Nissanka, Touch fuller, on middle, angling in and keeps low too, Pathum Nissanka adjusts well to get his bat down in time and blocks it out. |
| 17.6 : Gus Atkinson to Pathum Nissanka, On a length and on off, keeps low again, Pathum Nissanka tries to guide it away but gets a bottom edge on the pitch as the ball rolls towards short leg. |
| 18.1 : Chris Woakes to Kusal Mendis, Risky run! |
| 18.2 : Chris Woakes to Pathum Nissanka, Fuller and on middle, angles down the leg side, Pathum Nissanka looks to flick but misses, it goes off his pads to the keeper, Jamie Smith collects it and appeals, but nothing doing. |
| 18.3 : Chris Woakes to Pathum Nissanka, No run. |
| 18.4 : Chris Woakes to Pathum Nissanka, A stifled appeal for LBW, but turned down! |
| 18.5 : Chris Woakes to Pathum Nissanka, Pitched up and on off, Pathum Nissanka pushes it through cover-point for a run. |
| 18.6 : Chris Woakes to Kusal Mendis, Short of a length and outside off, Kusal Mendis cuts it away, not from the middle but in the gap, point runs after it and collects it. Three runs taken. |
| 19.1 : Gus Atkinson to Kusal Mendis, In the air....safe! |
| 19.2 : Gus Atkinson to Pathum Nissanka, Back of a length and around off, Pathum Nissanka guides it towards point for a single. |
| 19.3 : Gus Atkinson to Kusal Mendis, OUT! TAKEN! Absolute screamer in the deep! No luck this time for Kusal Mendis and Gus Atkinson gets his man. |
| 0.0 : The Sri Lankan veteran, Angelo Mathews walks in at number 4 with 111 runs more to win. |
| 19.4 : Gus Atkinson to Angelo Mathews, 1 run. |
| 19.5 : Gus Atkinson to Pathum Nissanka, Hard length and on middle, jags back in sharply, Pathum Nissanka gets hurried, his bottom hand comes off but he manages to keep it down wide of short leg. |
| 19.6 : Gus Atkinson to Pathum Nissanka, On a length and on middle, Pathum Nissanka pats it down wide of short leg. |
| 20.1 : Chris Woakes to Angelo Mathews, BEAUTY! |
| 20.2 : Chris Woakes to Angelo Mathews, Touch fuller and on off, Angelo Mathews hangs his bat out and blocks it out. |
| 20.3 : Chris Woakes to Angelo Mathews, And again! Chris Woakes hits the length hard and in that channel outside off, shapes away again, Angelo Mathews has a poke at it but the ball zips past the outside edge. |
| 20.4 : Chris Woakes to Angelo Mathews, Close call! |
| 20.5 : Chris Woakes to Pathum Nissanka, Pitched up and on middle, Pathum Nissanka tucks it past short leg for one. Nelson on the board. Will this bring in a wicket for England? |
| 20.6 : Chris Woakes to Angelo Mathews, Back of a length and just outside off, Angelo Mathews plays inside the line of it as the ball goes through to the keeper. |
| 21.1 : Gus Atkinson to Pathum Nissanka, Short of a length and on off, Pathum Nissanka dabs it down towards point. |
| 21.2 : Gus Atkinson to Pathum Nissanka, On a length and on middle, Pathum Nissanka nudges it away through square leg for a single. |
| 21.3 : Gus Atkinson to Angelo Mathews, Back of a length and on off, Angelo Mathews stays on the back foot and blocks it out. |
| 21.4 : Gus Atkinson to Angelo Mathews, Hard length and on off, takes off a bit, Angelo Mathews rides the bounce well and keeps it out to the off side. |
| 21.5 : Gus Atkinson to Angelo Mathews, Hits the good length, angles into the batter, Angelo Mathews pats it towards mid on. |
| 21.6 : Gus Atkinson to Angelo Mathews, Fuller and on middle, shaping in, Angelo Mathews steps across a bit and flicks it away between mid-wicket and mid on for three more runs. |
| 22.1 : Chris Woakes to Angelo Mathews, Woakes continues from over the stumps! Fuller and angling on the leg stump line, at 126 kph, Angelo Mathews clips it with soft hands to wide mid on. |
| 22.2 : Chris Woakes to Angelo Mathews, No run. |
| 22.3 : Chris Woakes to Angelo Mathews, Oh, an inswinger! Starts from outside off and curves back in sharply on the off and middle channel, Angelo Mathews negotiates well and clips it to wide mid-wicket for a single. |
| 22.4 : Chris Woakes to Pathum Nissanka, FOUR! Nissanka has been so productive square of the wicket! |
| 22.5 : Chris Woakes to Pathum Nissanka, Attacks the off peg, on a tighter line, Nissanka responds with a solid front foot defence. |
| 22.6 : Chris Woakes to Pathum Nissanka, First false shot from Nissanka, but gets away! Woakes offers more width this time, on the back of a length, swinging away, Pathum Nissanka slashes hard at it to access the square of the wicket with a cut but misses. |
| 23.1 : Gus Atkinson to Angelo Mathews, No run. |
| 23.2 : Gus Atkinson to Angelo Mathews, Full again, identical line, on off, Angelo Mathews blocks it with soft hands to the off side. |
| 23.3 : Gus Atkinson to Angelo Mathews, No run. |
| 23.4 : Gus Atkinson to Angelo Mathews, Outside off on the back of a length, Angelo Mathews offers no shot at it and lets it pass alone. |
| 23.5 : Gus Atkinson to Angelo Mathews, Short and right on the bodyline, Angelo Mathews hops and tucks it with soft hands to the fielder at short leg who collects on the bounce. |
| 23.6 : Gus Atkinson to Angelo Mathews, No run. |
| 24.1 : Olly Stone to Pathum Nissanka, Olly Stone begins his new spell with three slips and a gully. |
| 0.0 : First bowling change of Day 4. Olly Stone replaces Chris Woakes. |
| 24.2 : Olly Stone to Pathum Nissanka, No run. |
| 24.3 : Olly Stone to Pathum Nissanka, 1 run. |
| 24.4 : Olly Stone to Angelo Mathews, Full, on the stumps, Angelo Mathews with a firm prod and push to mid off. |
| 24.5 : Olly Stone to Angelo Mathews, No run. |
| 24.6 : Olly Stone to Angelo Mathews, Beaten! Slight away movement on a good length, just around the corridor of uncertainty. Angelo Mathews gets invited on the front foot, pats his front leg ahead for a defence but gets beaten by the outswing on the outside edge. |
| 25.1 : Josh Hull to Pathum Nissanka, Double change from England. Josh Hull now comes into the attack, replacing Atkinson. Pitches it up, full and on the middle, Pathum Nissanka watches it closely and blocks it off the front foot. |
| 25.2 : Josh Hull to Pathum Nissanka, Nissanka looks to whip this fuller length ball sliding down leg side but misses. |
| 25.3 : Josh Hull to Pathum Nissanka, Back of a length, and outside off, Pathum Nissanka pushes it off the back foot to deep backward point for a single. |
| 25.4 : Josh Hull to Angelo Mathews, Fractionally outside off on a length, Angelo Mathews defends it with soft hands to cover. |
| 25.5 : Josh Hull to Angelo Mathews, Almost a yorker, on the stumps from Hull, Angelo Mathews deals with it carefully, brings his bat down in time, and clips it off the inner half of the bat to mid-wicket. |
| 25.6 : Josh Hull to Angelo Mathews, Hull lands it across off on a length, a gentle push from Mathews back to the bowler. Hull starts decently. |
| 26.1 : Olly Stone to Pathum Nissanka, Length, on the stumps, Nissanka pushes it to mid on. |
| 26.2 : Olly Stone to Pathum Nissanka, Slightly short and outside off, Pathum Nissanka punches it off the back foot to wide cover for a single. |
| 26.3 : Olly Stone to Angelo Mathews, Misses his line in search for that swing, does Stone, sprays it on the pads, on a good length, Angelo Mathews clips it nicely to deep square leg for a single. |
| 26.4 : Olly Stone to Pathum Nissanka, Tap and run! Back of a length, over the top of the middle, Pathum Nissanka hops on the back foot and taps it along the ground towards wide mid on for a single. |
| 26.5 : Olly Stone to Angelo Mathews, 2 runs. |
| 26.6 : Olly Stone to Angelo Mathews, Fuller and on the stumps, Mathews pushes it to mid on. |
| 27.1 : Josh Hull to Pathum Nissanka, Good-length delivery around off, Nissanka gets in line, leans on the ball, and defends it to cover. |
| 27.2 : Josh Hull to Pathum Nissanka, 2 runs. |
| 27.3 : Josh Hull to Pathum Nissanka, Short delivery outside off, Nissanka stands tall and cuts it to deep backward point for a single. |
| 27.4 : Josh Hull to Angelo Mathews, Back of a length, on middle, Angelo Mathews clips it to square leg for a single. |
| 27.5 : Josh Hull to Pathum Nissanka, No run. |
| 27.6 : Josh Hull to Pathum Nissanka, FOUR! Cut away, again! 9th boundary for Nissanka and maximum of them have been struck square of the wicket towards point. |
| 0.0 : Spin has now been introduced by England. Shoaib Bashir replaces Olly Stone. |
| 28.1 : Shoaib Bashir to Angelo Mathews, Tossed up, full and around off, Angelo Mathews takes a big stride forwards and pushes it towards covers for a single. |
| 28.2 : Shoaib Bashir to Pathum Nissanka, Goes short and on middle, Pathum Nissanka moves back and pats it down towards short leg. |
| 28.3 : Shoaib Bashir to Pathum Nissanka, FOUR! Poor delivery and rightly punished! Shoaib Bashir bowls a half-tracker here, on middle, Pathum Nissanka has all the time in the world, rocks back and pulls it away easily towards the deep square leg fence for a boundary. |
| 28.4 : Shoaib Bashir to Pathum Nissanka, Short again and on off, Pathum Nissanka punches it through covers for a run. |
| 28.5 : Shoaib Bashir to Angelo Mathews, Flatter, short once more, on off, Angelo Mathews stays back and keeps it out towards short leg. |
| 28.6 : Shoaib Bashir to Angelo Mathews, FOUR! Nicely played! Flighted, full and around middle, Angelo Mathews knows the square leg is up in the circle, goes down on one knee and sweeps it excellently over that fielder for another boundary. Sri Lanka are targeting the spinner here! |
| Change. |
| 29.1 : Olly Stone to Pathum Nissanka, So close! Short of a length and outside off, invites the batter to go after it, Pathum Nissanka slahses hard at it but, the movement away takes the ball go just past the outside edge. |
| 29.2 : Olly Stone to Pathum Nissanka, Short again and outside off, Pathum Nissanka connects with his cut this time, the ball goes wide of deep point as the batters take a double. |
| 29.3 : Olly Stone to Pathum Nissanka, Hard length and around middle, Pathum Nissanka hops up and nudges it away wide of deep square leg this time for another brace. |
| 29.4 : Olly Stone to Pathum Nissanka, Goes fuller now, on middle, Pathum Nissanka prods forward and blocks it out. |
| 29.5 : Olly Stone to Pathum Nissanka, On a length and on middle, shaping in, Pathum Nissanka keeps it out to the leg side, he wants the run but is sent back. |
| 29.6 : Olly Stone to Pathum Nissanka, Pitched up and on middle again, gets it jag back in sharply, Pathum Nissanka looks to defend it with a straight bat but gets an inside edge through square leg for one. 5 runs off the over! |
| 30.1 : Chris Woakes to Pathum Nissanka, Good length and on off, angles in, Pathum Nissanka prods forward and blocks it out off the inner half of his bat to the leg side. |
| 0.0 : Drinks! It has been Sri Lanka's morning, by a fair margin. With just a single blemish, they have sailed past the first challenging hour nicely. Pathum Nissanka, in particular, continued from where he left off on Day 3 and didn't spare anything that was thrown at him outside off. He currently stands unbeaten on 87 with Angelo Mathews providing a very responsible hand by tapping and running. England on the other hand, need wickets, and in a bundle now because they just have 67 runs to defend. They |
| 30.2 : Chris Woakes to Pathum Nissanka, Fuller but angling into the pads, Pathum Nissanka easily clips it away towards fine leg for a single. |
| 30.3 : Chris Woakes to Angelo Mathews, On a length and on middle, Angelo Mathews stays in his crease and tucks it away towards short mid-wicket. |
| 30.4 : Chris Woakes to Angelo Mathews, FOUR BYES! Bonus runs for Sri Lanka! |
| 30.5 : Chris Woakes to Angelo Mathews, FOUR LEG BYES! The runs keep on coming! |
| 30.6 : Chris Woakes to Angelo Mathews, Pitched up and around off, Angelo Mathews fends it away. |
| 31.1 : Olly Stone to Pathum Nissanka, Back of a length and on off, Pathum Nissanka dabs it towards point. |
| 31.2 : Olly Stone to Pathum Nissanka, Good length, on middle, angling in, Pathum Nissanka hops up a bit and knocks it down the pitch. |
| 31.3 : Olly Stone to Pathum Nissanka, Good bowling! Olly Stone serves this a bit fuller, this one swings in sharply in the air, Pathum Nissanka looks to drive it away but gets an inside edge onto his pads as the ball rolls towards short mid-wicket, Angelo Mathews sets off for the run but is sent back and rightly so. |
| 31.4 : Olly Stone to Pathum Nissanka, Short of a length and around leg, Pathum Nissanka pulls it away towards fine leg for a single. |
| 31.5 : Olly Stone to Angelo Mathews, Fuller in length and on off, shapes away, Angelo Mathews steers it away towards point. |
| 31.6 : Olly Stone to Angelo Mathews, EDGED AND FOUR! Olly Stone lands this on hard length and in that channel outside off, nips away a a bit, Angelo Mathews looks to block it from his crease, gets an outside edge that flies between gully and slip cordon for a boundary. Sri Lanka needs 53 more runs to win now! |
| 32.1 : Chris Woakes to Pathum Nissanka, Full and off, Pathum Nissanka strides out to get closer to the line of the ball and blocks it out towards short covers. |
| 32.2 : Chris Woakes to Pathum Nissanka, Full again, on middle, shaping in, Pathum Nissanka just about manages to get his bat in line of the ball and tucks it towards short leg. |
| 32.3 : Chris Woakes to Pathum Nissanka, Back of a length and around off, Pathum Nissanka punches it away wide of deep point for a couple of runs. He moves into the 90s now! |
| 32.4 : Chris Woakes to Pathum Nissanka, FOUR! Slashed away! |
| 32.5 : Chris Woakes to Pathum Nissanka, Hard length and on off, Pathum Nissanka stays back and keeps it out to the off side. |
| 32.6 : Chris Woakes to Pathum Nissanka, Goes back to his fuller length, on middle, Pathum Nissanka tucks it to the left of short leg. |
| 33.1 : Olly Stone to Angelo Mathews, Absolute jaffa! Olly Stone lands it just outside off on the fourth stump line, Angelo Mathews tries to defend it off the back foot, but again, opens his body, gets squared up and hangs his bat away from his body. Gets beaten by a whisker on the outside edge. |
| 33.2 : Olly Stone to Angelo Mathews, Leg bye. |
| 33.3 : Olly Stone to Pathum Nissanka, Length ball, outside off, Nissanka guides this one to wide deep third for a couple of runs. Moves onto 97 now! |
| 33.4 : Olly Stone to Pathum Nissanka, 'Nother nip-backer from Stone, angling on leg, on a length, Pathum Nissanka looks to nudge it to the square leg region but plays over the line, and gets pinged on the front pad. |
| 33.5 : Olly Stone to Pathum Nissanka, 1 run. |
| 33.6 : Olly Stone to Angelo Mathews, Banged short, on the bodyline, Mathews rides on the bounce and drops it with soft hands to the pitch. Sri Lanka now need 43 more runs to win. |
| 0.0 : Gus Atkinson (9-1-37-1) replaces Chris Woakes. |
| 34.1 : Gus Atkinson to Pathum Nissanka, Starts off with regular three slips and a deep backward point. Tests Nissanka by pitching it wide of off on a fuller length, Pathum Nissanka strides out to push it to the off side but plays inside the line of the ball and gets beaten on the outside edge. |
| 34.2 : Gus Atkinson to Pathum Nissanka, 100 FOR PATHUM NISSANKA! A special, special century for the right hander! |
| 34.3 : Gus Atkinson to Angelo Mathews, No run. |
| 34.4 : Gus Atkinson to Angelo Mathews, Outside off and on a length, Mathews is not interested at all, and leaves. |
| 34.5 : Gus Atkinson to Angelo Mathews, No run. |
| 34.6 : Gus Atkinson to Angelo Mathews, In the air...and safe! Mathews looks in a hurry now! Full and on the off stump line, Angelo Mathews mistimes it in the air over mid on. The ball lands in front of long on and they cross for a couple of more runs. 38 more needed now. |
| 35.1 : Olly Stone to Pathum Nissanka, A vicious bumper from Stone this! Digs it into the surface, on off, Pathum Nissanka alertly arches back and lets it go through. |
| 35.2 : Olly Stone to Pathum Nissanka, SIX! Clobbered away! |
| 35.3 : Olly Stone to Pathum Nissanka, WIDE! He will have to reload that one again! |
| Olly Stone to Pathum Nissanka, 1 run. |
| 35.4 : Olly Stone to Angelo Mathews, 1 run. |
| 35.5 : Olly Stone to Pathum Nissanka, No run. |
| 35.6 : Olly Stone to Pathum Nissanka, Back of a length on the stumps, Nissanka defends it with a straight bat and off the back foot. |
| 36.1 : Gus Atkinson to Angelo Mathews, 1 run. |
| 36.2 : Gus Atkinson to Pathum Nissanka, Dug in short and on the middle, Pathum Nissanka comfortably pulls it along the ground to deep square leg for a single. |
| 36.3 : Gus Atkinson to Angelo Mathews, No run. |
| 36.4 : Gus Atkinson to Angelo Mathews, Over the top of the middle, on a good length, Angelo Mathews swats it to mid-wicket. |
| 36.5 : Gus Atkinson to Angelo Mathews, Almost a yorker and on the stumps, Angelo Mathews just about manages to squeeze it out off the inner half of the bat to square leg. |
| 36.6 : Gus Atkinson to Angelo Mathews, Length on the pads, Mathews looks to flick it but is early into the shot and closes his bat face early. He gets a leading edge in front of mid on. |
| 37.1 : Olly Stone to Pathum Nissanka, That sounded so good off the bat, but just a single. |
| 37.2 : Olly Stone to Angelo Mathews, Short again, on the stumps, Angelo Mathews pulls it to deep fine for one. |
| 37.3 : Olly Stone to Pathum Nissanka, Length-delivery, on pads, this is tucked away to deep backward square leg for a single by Nissanka. |
| 37.4 : Olly Stone to Angelo Mathews, 1 run. |
| 37.5 : Olly Stone to Pathum Nissanka, Short, at off, punched solidly by Nissanka off the back foot. |
| 37.6 : Olly Stone to Pathum Nissanka, SIX! 200 up for Sri Lanka and they now need just 17 runs to win! Another predictable short-pitched delivery from Stone, on the stumps, Pathum Nissanka reads the length early, gets in position quickly with a stable base and still head position, clobbers the pull shot into the air and deposits it rows behind deep backward square leg. |
| 38.1 : Shoaib Bashir to Angelo Mathews, Flatter, full and on off, Angelo Mathews goes down to sweep it away but misses and gets hit on the pads. |
| 38.2 : Shoaib Bashir to Angelo Mathews, No run. |
| 38.3 : Shoaib Bashir to Angelo Mathews, Oh..turn! |
| 38.4 : Shoaib Bashir to Angelo Mathews, 1 run. |
| 38.5 : Shoaib Bashir to Pathum Nissanka, 1 run. |
| 38.6 : Shoaib Bashir to Angelo Mathews, Four! |
| 0.0 : Lunch is just a few minutes away but the session will get extended further as Sri Lanka just need 11 runs to win. Also, Josh Hull is back into the attack now. |
| 39.1 : Josh Hull to Pathum Nissanka, Back of a length but down the leg side, Pathum Nissanka misses his flick. |
| 39.2 : Josh Hull to Pathum Nissanka, Short of a length and on middle, Pathum Nissanka clips it just wide of square leg for a quick single. |
| 39.3 : Josh Hull to Angelo Mathews, Josh Hull bangs in a bouncer now, outside off, Angelo Mathews leaves it alone. |
| 39.4 : Josh Hull to Angelo Mathews, Digs it into the pitch again, on middle, Angelo Mathews pulls it towards deep mid-wicket for a run. Into single digits now! |
| 39.5 : Josh Hull to Pathum Nissanka, FOUR! Touch of class from the centurion! |
| 39.6 : Josh Hull to Pathum Nissanka, Short of a length and on middle now, Pathum Nissanka stays back and keeps it out on the pitch. |
| 40.1 : Shoaib Bashir to Angelo Mathews, Short and on middle, Angelo Mathews nudges it through square leg for a single. Sri Lanka just one hit away from the win! |
| 40.2 : Shoaib Bashir to Pathum Nissanka, No run. |
| 40.3 : Shoaib Bashir to Pathum Nissanka, FOUR! Pathum Nissanka fittingly hits the winning runs! Shoaib Bashir drags his length back, outside off, Pathum Nissanka lets it come to him and cuts it away nicely wide of backward point for a boundary. SRI LANKA WIN BY 8 WICKETS! |
| 0.0 : From London to Colombo, the Sri Lankans rejoice in delight and pride as they have defeated England by a convincing margin of 8 wickets. A win in Kennington Oval back in 1998 and now in 2024 as well - which is, 26 long years of wait. This victory marks a significant milestone for Sri Lankan cricket, breaking their decade-long drought of wins against England in Test matches. It's their fourth Test win on English soil and 9th overall in head-to-head against England. For a team that has faced its |
| Wins at The Oval in 1998, then in Nottingham in 2006 followed by a triumph in Leeds in 2014 and now breaching The Oval, again! Yes, Sri Lanka did lose the series, courtesy of immaculate cricket from the English side in the first two Tests, but this win will surely prove as a confidence booster for the island nation. Sanath Jayasuriya, the current Sri Lankan head coach, who was also part of those two famous wins against England, welcomes the centurion Pathum Nissanka and his partner Angelo Mathe |
| Alright then, let's take a quick trip down memory lane for this third and final Test, shall we? Sri Lanka decided to let the hosts have the first crack with the willow. England, true to form, and sincere to their Bazball approach, pretty much owned day one. The English inning was a bit of a rollercoaster, with Ben Duckett smashing a solid 86 and skipper Ollie Pope going absolutely bonkers, notching up the quickest 150 The Oval's ever seen. |
| But credit where it's due - the Lankan bowlers didn't just roll over and play dead. They showed some grit in the end and managed to put the brakes on what was looking like a runaway train. In the end, they kept England to 325, which, could've been a whole lot worse given how things were going and how brilliantly England batted. Milan Rathnayake snagged an impressive 3-fer while Vishwa, Lahiru Kumara and the skipper Dhananjaya de Silva too, chipped in with a couple each. |
| Sri Lanka then, with the bat found themselves in a bit of a tangle. Apart from Nissanka, who notched 64, none of the top and middle order batter could get going. But the alliance of skipper Dhananjaya de Silva and Kamindu Mendis came to their rescue and literally bailed them out from a precarious 93-5. Their valiant 127-run stand for the 6th wicket injected new hope for the islanders. The second day by and large went to the islanders before the play was stopped due to bad light. |
| Day 3, often called the 'Moving Day,' saw a significant momentum shift as Sri Lanka gained the upper hand. The day began with debutant Josh Hull redeeming himself by dismissing the set Dhananjaya de Silva, followed by Woakes removing Kamindu Mendis. England wrapped up Sri Lankaâs innings quickly, securing a 62-run lead. However, their aggressive approach with the bat backfired as Duckett and Pope were dismissed before Lunch. In the second session, Sri Lankaâs pacers took control. Dan Lawrenc |
| Chasing 219, Sri Lanka lost Dimuth Karunaratne early, but he did become the fourth Sri Lankan batter to cross 7000 Test runs. However, Pathum Nissanka played aggressively, while Mendis supported him well. Together, they kept the scoreboard moving and found regular boundaries. Nissanka reached a fine half-century, and the pair added over 50 runs, steadily closing in on the target. Bad Light eventually halted play, with Sri Lanka needing 125 more runs and 9 wickets in hand. |
| Day 4 dawned under ominous grey skies, with gloomy weather that seemed to promise challenges. Sri Lanka needed 125 runs. A cold London morning it was with wind and swing, but the two accomplished Sri Lankan batters, navigated the first thirty minutes or so nicely. However, a short ball ploy for Mendis turned fruitful for Gus Atkinson, courtesy of a screamer of a catch by Bashir. |
| Woakes tried his heart out by bowling those outswingers and tempted Mathews to just poke and edge one. The trap was set with short barrages from one end and fuller ones from the other - however, as patient as they needed to be, with just a couple of blemishes, Sri Lanka sailed nicely along with Nissanka taking on anything that was wide of off with those productive square cuts. Angelo Mathews, using all his vast experience of over hundred Tests, played a very responsible role racking a steady 32 |
| England's bowling lineup, usually a formidable force, found itself grappling with unexpected hurdles. The promising Gus Atkinson, hampered by a nagging quad issue, struggled to find his usual rhythm. This left Chris Woakes, the seasoned campaigner, shouldering much of the responsibility as the most experienced bowler in the squad. Josh Hull was impressive with the ball, but his fitness too, was under the scanner. Although with the Day 4 pitch, full of roughs and turn, England could have tried t |
| ... THE PRESENTATION CEREMONYÂ ... |
| Pathum Nissanka is adjudged as the PLAYER OF THE MATCH for his fabulous 127 off just 124 balls. He says that this was a great opportunity for him to play in England and he enjoyed his knock. Adds that it was slightly difficult in the morning but he has a positive mindset which helped him. Ends by saying he just wanted to play his normal game. When asked 'Why he didn't play in the first Test?', he just smiled. |
| Joe Root wins the PLAYER OF THE SERIES award for England. He is also nominated as the PLAYER OF THE SUMMER for his immaculate contributions with the bat. He says it has been a great summer and is always nice to contribute as a senior player. He adds that he is trying to evolve every day. Mentions that this game is fickle and things change very quickly and that you need to keep working hard and keep training hard. On being asked whether he is at the peak of his career, he tells that the last |
| Kamindu Mendis wins the PLAYER OF THE SERIES for Sri Lanka for his all-round contributions throughout the series. Mendis says that it is a great win for the team. Adds that the obviously these are challenging conditions, but their seamers did very well and Pathum Nissanka was excellent as well. Says that he just wanted to enjoy his time in the middle in these conditions. Mentions that he just made small changes here and there that helped him in this series but the main thing is to be confident |
| Time for the skippers' talk now! The captain of Sri Lanka, Dhananjaya de Silva is up for a flash interview. He says that there were no emotions in the changing room but is very proud of this team and happy for the win. Adds it is a very big moment, tells they had a tough time in the last two weeks. Adds that to come to England and get the win in these difficult English conditions, it is a huge moment for the whole country. Mentions that to get 20 wickets, which they didn't execute in the fi |
| The skipper of England, Ollie Pope is up for a talk now. Pope says that it is a disappointing result, but credit to Sri Lanka and they deserved the win. Adds that on Day 3, they kind of shot themselves as they didn't execute the plans effectively, and praises Nissanka for the way he batted. Says that there was no complacency, they stuck to their approach but just didn't score enough runs. Mentions that it was just one of those days where things didn't work out and they will look at it and try |
| The English players are now awarded with their medallions. Ollie Pope is requested to collect the silverware now. He collects the glittering trophy and walks towards his fellow teammates who pose for a team photograph. Clean sweeping the West Indies by 3-0 back in August, and now clinching a series win over Sri Lanka by 2-1. England have dominated this English summer with a 5-1 winning performance. And with this, the English Summer comes to a wrap. |
| Right then, this marks a wrap to this immersive 3-match Test series. It has been nothing short of entertaining and a rollercoaster ride, to say the least. England take the series and further improve their standings in the World Test Championship. Whereas, a bittersweet end for Sri Lanka as they couldnât clinch the series, but displayed what could be in store for them in the future with this win. Both teams have a streak of Test matches lined up for the next few months. England will be taking |
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