Discover how Pathum Nissanka’s remarkable 127 propelled Sri Lanka to a historic victory over England, marking a significant moment in cricket history.
Introduction:
Sri Lanka signed off on their tour of England in style, beating the hosts by eight wickets in the third and final Test at The Oval. Coming into the match with the series already lost 2-0, this was a big milestone for the visitors as they gained their first Test victory in England since 2014. Pathum Nissanka’s unbeaten century led the way as Sri Lanka comfortably chased down England’s target of 219 on the fourth day.
First Innings for England: Mixed Performance from the Team
There were Ollie Pope’s commanding 154 and Ben Duckett’s solid 86 among the highlights of England’s 325 in the first innings. At one time, England looked well set for a far larger total, having reached 261 for 3. A sudden collapse then saw them lose their last seven wickets for only 64 runs. The counter-attack was spearheaded by Sri Lanka’s bowlers, led by Lahiru Kumara 4-21 and Vishwa Fernando 3-40. Pushed behind the eight-ball, the English middle and lower-order succumbed to the disciplined Sri Lankan attack.
See also: England’s Ollie Pope Shines With a Brilliant 103*: Oval Test
Sri Lankan Response: Useful Contributions All Round
Sri Lanka responded with a fighting 263 in reply, trailing England by 62 runs. Dhananjaya de Silva made 69, Kamindu Mendis 64, and Pathum Nissanka 64 as the visitors frustrated England’s bowlers for large swathes of the day. They never looked like bettering England’s total but some middle-order fight kept them in this game. The crucial partnership at the back end between Dhananjaya and Nissanka proved critical to the score’s competitiveness, keeping Sri Lanka in this chase.
Second Innings for England: A Collapse Under Pressure
The second innings for England turned out to be an absolute disaster as they came up against an incisive Sri Lankan seaming attack that gave everything in an attempt to win the match. The English batsmen, yielding to the tremendous and unrelenting pressure, finally succumbed and got dismissed for a paltry 156. This collapse set Sri Lanka an modest target of 219 runs to win the match. Jamie Smith made a valiant effort with his defiant 67, but the English batting line-up caved under ever-mounting pressure.
For Sri Lanka, Lahiru Kumara continued his form nicely, taking four more wickets, while Vishwa Fernando also did well. Their consistent and skilled bowling further shattered England’s hopes, leaving the team in tatters and barely able to mount a substantial fight. It was a disheartening end to the England innings and a big boost of confidence to the visiting Sri Lankans as they prepared to chase this target.
Sri Lanka’s Run Chase: Pathum Nissanka’s Heroics
Day four started with Sri Lanka 94/1 in the second innings, chasing a target of 219 to take a 1-0 series lead. Nissanka, looking classy in the first innings, added a masterful unbeaten 127 off just 124 balls. He looked in great composure and calculated aggression as Sri Lanka reached home in a mere 25.3 overs. With able support from Angelo Mathews, Nissanka then took center stage as he bossed the England bowling to show just why he is viewed as a rising star in Sri Lankan cricket. A century which sealed the win and also marked his strong comeback to Test cricket after a long period in the wilderness.
Conclusion: Moral Victory for Sri Lanka
Thus, the Sri Lankan victory in this final Test turned out to be a big morale-winner, with the series outcome already sealed. As for England, the match has also brought to the fore weaknesses in their batting, especially in the second innings. Chief contributors for Sri Lanka throughout the Test were bowlers Kumara and Fernando, while Nissanka’s century sealed a memorable victory. This victory will, therefore, be celebrated in Sri Lanka while England goes back to reassess their performance for future challenges.
This win will surely be kept in the archive by Sri Lanka for upcoming international fixtures as this was a positive end to what was otherwise a challenging tour.