LONDON: Pathum Nissanka’s magnificent unbeaten century led Sri Lanka to an eight-wicket victory over England in the third Test at The Oval on Monday.
Chasing a target of 219, Sri Lanka reached their goal, losing only two wickets before lunch on the fourth day. Nissanka’s unbeaten 127 and Angelo Mathews’ crucial 32 not out guided Sri Lanka to a historic win, marking their first Test victory on English soil since 2014.
The win provided a welcome respite for Sri Lanka, who had endured a streak of seven consecutive Test defeats against England. Despite this triumph, England secured the three-match series 2-1, having previously won the first two Tests by five wickets at Old Trafford and 190 runs at Lord’s.
In the fourth day’s play, Sri Lanka began their chase confidently. Nissanka, displaying impeccable form, anchored the innings with a sublime century, while Mathews provided valuable support. Their unbroken partnership of 111 ensured that Sri Lanka achieved their target comfortably.
Earlier in the match, England had set the target with their second innings total of 156, thanks to a solid innings from Joe Smith, who scored 67. Sri Lanka’s bowlers, led by Lahiru Kumara and Vishwa Fernando, had delivered a disciplined performance to restrict England to a modest total. Kumara took 4 wickets for 21 runs, while Fernando contributed with 3 wickets for 40 runs.
In their first innings, England had posted a competitive score of 325, driven by a superb 154 from Ollie Pope and 86 from Ben Duckett. Sri Lanka responded with a total of 263, with Dhananjaya de Silva top-scoring with 69 and Nissanka and Kamindu Mendis contributing 64 each.
Brief Scores
England 1st Innings: 325 (Ollie Pope 154, Ben Duckett 86; Maheesh Theekshana 3-56)
Sri Lanka 1st Innings: 263 (Dhananjaya de Silva 69, Pathum Nissanka 64, Kamindu Mendis 64; Ollie Stone 3-35, Jack Hull 3-53)
England 2nd Innings: 156 (Joe Smith 67; Lahiru Kumara 4-21, Vishwa Fernando 3-40)
Sri Lanka 2nd Innings: 219-2 (Pathum Nissanka 127* not out)
Result: Sri Lanka won by eight wickets.
Series: England won the three-match series 2-1.
