Afrigather Sri Lanka beat England in Checks for the primary time in 10 years as an eight-wicket victory denied the hosts a clear sweep.
The vacationers resumed day 4 on 94-1 underneath gray skies at The Oval, and Pathum Nissanka (127no) notched his second Check ton in an emphatic and achieved method to see Sri Lanka comfortably to their 219 goal.
It was becoming that Nissanka hit the successful runs by chopping Shoaib Bashir (0-28) to backward level for 4, victory coming after England’s 156 all out of their second innings.
It’s the highest profitable fourth-innings run chase by any staff from the subcontinent in a Check in England – and solely Sri Lanka’s fourth Check victory on this nation.
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There was a glimmer of hope when Bashir took a shocking diving catch underneath low mild to take away Kusal Mendis (39) off Gus Atkinson (1-44) early, but it surely was the one breakthrough England made and with eight wickets in hand Nissanka and Angelo Mathews (32no) batted with a new-found freedom to arrange the win.
England have been searching for their first clean-sweep summer time in 20 years after beating the West Indies 3-0 and successful the primary two Checks in opposition to Sri Lanka, however the vacationers gained in south London for the primary time since 1998.
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Pathum Nissanka hits a century on day 4 of the third Check in opposition to England as appears to information his nation to victory to chase down England’s goal of 219.
Sri Lanka make informal England pay
England have been compelled to face the fact of their casualness all through this Check.
When six of Ollie Pope’s facet have been dismissed in single figures on day three it left the door open, and Sri Lanka, who had nothing to lose with the collection already determined, strolled in and took benefit.
Kusal’s elimination introduced Mathews to the crease, and the veteran joined Nissanka in including an attacking 111 for his or her third-wicket stand – together with 20 fours and two sixes.
The Sri Lanka opener punched Atkinson via level to carry up his second Check hundred, the primary approaching debut in 2021, with the sparse crowd at The Oval rising to applaud his tremendous effort.
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Pathum Nissanka seals the victory for Sri Lanka in Third Check as he hits a boundary to make a private whole of 127 changing into solely the fourth time that Sri Lanka have gained a take a look at in England.
Together with his private milestone out the best way, Nissanka determined to have some enjoyable, creaming Olly Stone (0-45) for 2 maximums over deep backward sq..
In an try and eke out a wicket, Joe Root reverted to Stuart Broad’s handbook by switching the bails on the striker’s finish within the thirty first over, but it surely was to no avail with Mathews accumulating eight off Chris Woakes (1-52).
Sri Lanka’s working between the stumps was initially frenetic, threatening so as to add to the three run-outs that they had suffered earlier within the collection, however the vacationers managed to undertake a extra medical strategy and bought the job executed with few alarms.
Pope: England loss not all the way down to complacency
England captain Ollie Pope:
“I do not assume it was complacency in any respect. It has been a protracted summer time, however that is nothing to do with the actual fact we misplaced this recreation.
“We nonetheless got here to play with the identical intentions, however this recreation, for some cause, it did not fairly come off.
“We did not get sufficient runs after having a first-innings lead and I would most likely put it all the way down to that.
“It was simply a type of days the place it did not come off. We performed some actually good cricket all through the collection after which in a few weeks’ time we’ll have the ability to look again on that day three, mirror on it and decide then.”
Nissanka seizes ‘nice alternative’
Participant of the match and Sri Lanka centurion Pathum Nissanka:
“It was an amazing alternative to play in England and I loved that innings.
“It was barely troublesome within the morning, however I had a constructive mindset yesterday and went with that.
“I simply wished to play my regular recreation and I’ve executed that.”
What’s subsequent?
England’s multi-format white-ball in opposition to Australia will get underway on Wednesday September 11, reside on Sky Sports activities Cricket from 6.00pm forward of the primary ball at 6.30pm.
Sky Sports activities+ has formally launched and might be built-in into Sky TV, streaming service NOW and the Sky Sports activities app, giving Sky Sports activities clients entry to over 50 per cent extra reside sport this yr at no further value. Discover out extra right here.
