News Date 2024/09/10
In the third and final match of the series against England at The Oval on last Monday, opener Pathum Nissanka scored an undefeated century, helping Sri Lanka record only its fourth test victory on English soil.
Despite defeating the West Indies 3-0 in July, England lost the series 2-1 and therefore missed out on a second consecutive clean sweep of their international summer.
With Day 4 underway at 94-1 and 125 runs required to win, it took the Sri Lankans just two hours to finish the job in a clinical manner. The foundation was laid on Sunday as they defeated England for 156 in just 34 overs, with 219 required to win.
“Sri Lanka wins their first Test match against England in ten years.”
As Sri Lanka reached 219 in 40.3 overs, Nissanka’s second test century, which he reached three figures in 107 balls and finished 127 not out, provided the foundation for the chase.
The short opener, who hit 13 fours and 2 sixes, celebrated reaching 100 by waving his arms and soaking in the cheers from a partially filled stadium. He then kissed his bat and raised his head to the sky. In 2021, during his debut season with the Sri Lankan test team, he scored another century against the West Indies.
Given the calibre of his knock, it was unclear why he was called up for the second test at Lord’s after failing to start the first test against England at Old Trafford last month.
It was only fitting that Nissanka’s cut for four to bring home the winning runs.
Prior to that notable 10-wicket triumph in a one-off test at The Oval in 1998, the visitors had won tests in England at Trent Bridge in 2006 and Headingley in 2014.
This last one appeared improbable as they won the toss and, on Day 1, England won 221-3, but they were unable to take advantage of ideal bowling conditions. But then England became careless and sometimes rash, and it was all Sri Lanka.Kusal Mendis (39), who pulled off a delivery from Gus Atkinson and watched Shoaib Bashir make a diving catch in the deep, was the lone wicket to fall on Monday.
At the end, Angelo Mathews and Nissanka had a third-wicket partnership of 111 runs, with Mathews remaining unbeaten at 32.
Source: AP
