Sri Lanka’s hopes of salvaging some pride in the ongoing Test series against England received a much-needed boost on the second day of the third Test at The Oval. Despite collapsing to 93-5 before tea, the tourists fought back valiantly thanks to an unbroken century partnership between Dhananjaya de Silva and Kamindu Mendis.
The duo put on an impressive 118-run stand, leaving Sri Lanka at 211-5 at the close of play, still 114 runs behind England’s first innings total of 325. De Silva ended the day on 64 not out, while Mendis, currently boasting a remarkable Test batting average of over 85, reached 54 not out. This was his seventh half-century in six matches, a run that also includes three centuries.
The day began with England resuming on 221-3, with captain Ollie Pope on 103 not out. Pope continued his impressive form, reaching a milestone first century as England captain, ending his innings on 154. His dismissal by Vishwa Fernando brought an end to a 156-ball innings, studded with 19 fours and two sixes.
Sri Lanka, however, were initially struggling. Dimuth Karunaratne was run out early, and a flurry of wickets saw them reeling at 93-5. However, Mendis and De Silva came together to steady the ship, frustrating England’s bowlers with their resolute batting.
England’s bowling attack, featuring the debutant Josh Hull, tried their best to break the partnership. Hull dropped a simple catch off De Silva when he was on 23, providing a crucial turning point in the match. He also took his first Test wicket, dismissing Nissanka for 64, while Olly Stone claimed two wickets including that of Angelo Mathews for three.
Despite the bad light forcing an early close of play, Sri Lanka’s fightback on the second day has injected some much-needed optimism into their camp. The tourists will be hoping to build on this momentum and create a tense finish to the series.
