Pathum Nissanka’s excellent unbeaten century guided Sri Lanka to a commanding eight-wicket win within the third Take a look at match in opposition to England, ending a decade-long wait.
Sri Lanka, set a goal of 219, reached that whole for the lack of two wickets earlier than lunch on the fourth day at The Oval on Monday.
Nissanka was 127 not out and Angelo Mathews 32 not out in an unbroken stand of 111.
Victory gave Sri Lanka only a fourth Take a look at win in England and first since a 100-run success at Headingley in 2014.
England took this three-match collection 2-1 after wins at Outdated Trafford and Lord’s, however the defeat meant that England failed to attain a primary dwelling marketing campaign clear sweep since 2004.
What a implausible victory to finish the collection! Sri Lanka beat England by 8 wickets within the third Take a look at.
Congratulations to the workforce on an excellent efficiency!
👏 #ENGvSL 🏏 pic.twitter.com/VZk1HUyWWb
— Sri Lanka Cricket 🇱🇰 (@OfficialSLC) September 9, 2024
Nissanka, named participant of the match after additionally making 64 within the first innings, advised Sky Sports activities: “It was a fantastic alternative to play in England, and I loved that innings.”
“I simply wished to play my regular recreation, and I’ve performed that,” added the opener, who spent two years out of the Take a look at aspect.
And for Sri Lanka captain Dhananjaya de Silva, there was no doubting the importance of main his nation to solely their fourth win in 21 Checks in England.
“This is likely one of the happiest moments in my profession and my life,” de Silva stated.
“We had a tricky time within the final two weeks, so to return right here and get a win in English circumstances in opposition to an English workforce, it’s a superb second for me, my workforce and my nation as effectively.”
Sri Lanka resumed on 94-1, already effectively positioned to finish a run of seven straight Take a look at defeats by England.
Nissanka, recalled at Lord’s, was 53 not out and Kusal Mendis unbeaten on 30.
Mendis, nonetheless, had added simply 9 runs to his rating when he hooked a Gus Atkinson bouncer to fantastic leg, the place Shoaib Bashir, doing effectively to sight the ball on a depressing morning, held a wonderful low catch after diving to his left.
Sri Lanka had been now 108-2 as Mathews, who made an excellent 160 of their Headingley success a decade in the past, walked in to bat.
With Sri Lanka making good progress in opposition to the quicks at 137-2, England captain Ollie Pope introduced on off-spinner Bashir.
Bashir, nonetheless, promptly conceded 10 runs in an over as Nissanka pulled a dragged-down ball to sq. leg and Mathews swept one other 4.
The diminutive Nissanka punched three off Atkinson by way of level, which noticed the 26-year-old full a 107-ball hundred, together with 11 fours.
And having reached the landmark, Nissanka hooked quick bowler Olly Stone for 2 sixes.
Nissanka ended the match by chopping Bashir for 4, having already surpassed his earlier highest Take a look at rating of 103 in opposition to the West Indies at North Sound in 2021.
England squandered a number of robust positions, together with collapsing from 261-3 to 325 all out of their first innings regardless of 154 from Pope – his first century since stepping in for the injured Ben Stokes as skipper initially of this collection.
Additionally they allowed Sri Lanka to recuperate from 93-5 to 263 in reply with Pope deploying an all-spin assault after tea on a depressing second day.
England led by 62 runs on first innings.
However their high order batted as if they’d double that lead the second time round as England collapsed spectacularly to 82-7 earlier than being dismissed for 156 in simply 34 overs on Sunday.
Lahiru Kumara took 4-21 and left-arm swing bowler Vishwa Fernando 3-40, together with the prize scalp of Joe Root for simply 12.
Solely wicketkeeper Jamie Smith’s counterattacking 67 off 50 balls, together with 10 fours and a six, ensured Sri Lanka had been chasing greater than 200 for victory.
“It’s disappointing to not be on the appropriate aspect of the outcome,” Pope stated. “Day three [on Sunday], we in all probability shot ourselves within the foot slightly bit.
“We weren’t at our greatest and credit score to Sri Lanka. The way in which Nissanka performed was excessive class, they usually deserved to win this Take a look at.”