Sri Lanka is poised for a remarkable victory against England in the third Test at The Oval, thanks to a stellar performance by Pathum Nissanka. With a commanding lead of 94 runs for the loss of just one wicket, Sri Lanka needs only 125 more runs to claim the win and end a seven-match losing streak against England in Test matches. The third day’s play witnessed a thrilling encounter with several turning points.
Early in the day, Sri Lanka lost Dimuth Karunaratne for a meager eight runs, caught and bowled by Chris Woakes. However, Nissanka continued his impressive form, reaching his second fifty of the match and remaining unbeaten on 53 runs. His innings included seven boundaries, including a powerful drive through the covers off debutant Josh Hull. Meanwhile, Kusal Mendis made the most of several loose deliveries, scoring an unbeaten 30 runs that included 24 runs from boundaries, solidifying Sri Lanka’s position.
England’s challenging target of over 200 runs was primarily due to Jamie Smith’s spirited counter-attacking innings of 67 runs. His efforts pulled England out of a significant collapse, where they lost five wickets for just 26 runs, leaving them at 82 for 7. Smith’s determined display at his home ground in Surrey helped them recover to post a total of 156 runs. Smith’s aggressive approach, scoring 67 runs off just 50 balls with 10 fours and a six, provided a brief respite for England. However, he fell just before tea, caught at short midwicket off Vishwa Fernando’s delivery.
Fernando, exploiting significant swing, claimed three wickets for 40 runs, including the valuable wicket of Joe Root for just 12 runs. Root’s dismissal was particularly significant as it ended his bid to surpass Kumar Sangakkara’s tally of 12,400 Test runs. Lahiru Kumara also played a crucial role in England’s downfall, taking four wickets for 21 runs in seven overs.
Former England captains Michael Vaughan and Alastair Cook were critical of the hosts’ poor batting performance, highlighting their collapse from 221-3 to 325 all out in their first innings. England suffered early setbacks with Ben Duckett falling for seven runs and Ollie Pope, fresh off a 154 in the first innings, departing for a mere seven runs. Dan Lawrence, who opened in place of the injured Zak Crawley, managed to score 35 runs but ultimately edged a delivery from Kumara to wicketkeeper Dinesh Chandimal.
As Sri Lanka closes in on a potential victory, Nissanka’s role has been instrumental in keeping their hopes alive for a memorable win over England in the Test series. If Sri Lanka can capitalize on their current position, it will be a significant milestone for the team and a moment of celebration for the fans.
