Key events
And another plug for this from Ali, on the end of a thrilling international career.
I’ll probably wrap this up pretty soon. If you want to have fun elsewhere, I can suggest the links below:
Colum Fordham writes in:
There is a fascinating run chase in prospect with Kusal Mendis due a score. A very gifted batsman, it may be a case of cometh the hour, cometh the man. Nissanka has batted in swashbuckling fashion. Both Bashir and Josh Hull will have big part to play tomorrow. Well done Sri Lanka for their persistence and a proper challenge for England.
Stumps: Sri Lanka 94-1 (target: 219)
They’ve called it at the Oval. It’s been a brilliant day’s play, perhaps the most competitive we’ve had all summer in the Tests. Oh, and there’s a rainbow peaking out from behind the pavilion as I type this.
The light isn’t good enough for the quicks. The players leave the field. It’s not stumps just yet, but I don’t see us getting back on. Day four is going to be terrific: Sri Lanka need 125 more runs to win; England need nine wickets. Take the day off if you’re in south London.
15th over: Sri Lanka 94-1 (Nissanka 53, Kusal 30) It seems like the light has got slightly worse, which might be why Ollie Pope has turned to Shoaib Bashir. Kusal Mendis greets the off-spinner with an authoritative sweep for four. A drag-down follows but Kusal has to settle for a single. Bashir lands one in the rough to get some spitting turn that hits the glove; he’s in the game.
Half-century for Pathum Nissanka!
Smith holds on to a sharp bumper from Hull and the crowd, for a brief moment, think Nissanka is a goner. Hull gets some decent lift – and swing – to trouble Nissanka but a wide one follows and the batter drives aerially for four to get to a 42-ball half-century. He’s been thoroughly watchable.
14th over: Sri Lanka 87-1 (Nissanka 52, Kusal 24)
13th over: Sri Lanka 81-1 (Nissanka 46, Kusal 24) Olly Stone replaces Woakes, who went for 12 in his previous over. Stone offers a loose one early, though, allowing Kusal to cut for another boundary. The shadows are close to engulfing the entire Oval outfield as the sun goes down. Kusal takes a blow to the hand before drinks are called.
12th over: Sri Lanka 76-1 (Nissanka 45, Kusal 20) Nissanka clunks a ball over mid-off for a couple before cutting Hull hard for four. Another wide one ends the over, with Kusal slapping it away to move to 20.
11th over: Sri Lanka 63-1 (Nissanka 38, Kusal 14) Kusal Mendis drives Woakes through the covers before launching through midwicket, and a pull provides him with a third boundary in the over. He’s racing now, too.
10th over: Sri Lanka 51-1 (Nissanka 38, Kusal 2) Josh Hull gets the ball from the Pavilion End. He bowls a pearler with his second delivery, beating Nissanka’s bat outside off stump before the right-hander clunks an inswinger towards deep midwicket … they end up running four. A loose full bunger follows but Nissanka can’t put it away. Hull really is very raw; this isn’t a slight on him but I’ve watched and wondered why England, seemingly desperate for a giant left-armer, haven’t given Reece Topley a Test cap at some point? I get that he hasn’t played first-class cricket in an age, but England don’t seem bothered about that, do they?
9th over: Sri Lanka 47-1 (Nissanka 34, Kusal 2) This is good from Nissanka and Kusal, running plenty of singles after Karunaratne’s dismissal to knock England’s push for momentum.
News from the shires:
Bangladesh all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan has joined Surrey to play in tomorrow’s fixture against Somerset at Taunton! 🇧🇩
Welcome to Surrey, Shakib! 🪶
Click the image to read more 🔗
🤎 | #SurreyCricket
— Surrey Cricket (@surreycricket) September 8, 2024
8th over: Sri Lanka 44-1 (Nissanka 33, Kusal 2) Kusal Mendis dabs into the off side to collect his first single off Atkinson. Nissanka clips for one as Atkinson is nurdled around.
WICKET! Karunaratne c&b Woakes 9 (Sri Lanka 39-1)
Nissanka adds to his highlights reel with a cover drive for three before Karunaratne nearly ends his own innings, setting off for a run before realising it’s most definitely not on. He dives back in at the striker’s end as the throw comes in from midwicket. Woakes then jags the ball past Karunaratne’s prod before landing the first blow! Karunaratne gets an inside edge on to his pad, the ball popping up … Woakes dives forward to hold on.
7th over: Sri Lanka 39-1 (Nissanka 31)
6th over: Sri Lanka 36-0 (Nissanka 28, Karunaratne 8) Nissanka is treating this like an afternoon net against throwdowns; he drives Atkinson through mid-off to move to 27. Karunaratne cuts for a couple to try and show he’s down with the kids.
5th over: Sri Lanka 29-0 (Nissanka 23, Karunaratne 6) Woakes sneaks the ball past Karunaratne’s outside edge before slapping him on the pads, the right-armer finding some rhythm from the Vauxhall End.
“Good evening Taha.” Good evening, Kim Thonger. “Just catching up after a day out. As an England supporter I’m very pleased for Sri Lanka, they’ve deserved to get something out of this series and I find myself hoping they chase this total down. It would be good for Test cricket in general and a salutary lesson for England.”
4th over: Sri Lanka 28-0 (Nissanka 22, Karunaratne 6) Nissanka is making the crowd ooh and ahh, this time nailing Atkinson with an on-side drive … but a huge lbw appeal follows, turned down but reviewed by England. It’s shown to be sliding down the leg side. Ollie Pope’s DRS struggles continue as Nissanka drives again, less convincingly this time, but picks up three. Karunaratne punches off the back foot past gully to score his first boundary.
3rd over: Sri Lanka 17-0 (Nissanka 15, Karunaratne 2) Nissanka is driving through the off side with freedom, a boundary followed by two into the covers.
2nd over: Sri Lanka 10-0 (Nissanka 8, Karunaratne 2) Gus Atkinson takes over from the other end and fires in his second delivery at 80mph – he won’t be as sharp as usual with that tight quad. Karunaratne punches through cover for a couple to close the over. It takes him past 7,000 Test runs, and the crowd show their appreciation for the achievement after its announced on the big screen.
1st over: Sri Lanka 8-0 (Nissanka 8, Karunaratne 0) Beautiful from Nissanka as he drives through mid-on for four, the shiny new Dukes beating Shoaib Bashir to the rope. An outside edge runs away past gully for four more – Sri Lanka have begun in a rush.
Gus Atkinson is out there with England despite some trouble with his quad, so you’d imagine he’ll bowl too. Pathum Nissanka will face as Chris Woakes opens up.
Lahiru Kumara ends the innings as Sri Lanka’s leading force, taking 4-21. The sun is out at the Oval, the light looking good. We’ve got a lovely evening coming up.
England all out for 156 – Sri Lanka need 219 to win
Six for Hull! He swivels and sends Asitha over deep fine leg for six, the men on the boundary forced to watch it sail over. The short-ball peppering continues … will Asitha slide a yorker into the mix? Another bouncer to Hull gets an edge, and the fingertips of Maduskha, too – but he can’t hold on high to his left behind the stumps. Nevermind, though, because Asitha has Bashir gloving down the leg side to end the innings.
WICKET! Bashir c sub Madushka b Asitha 4 (England 156 all out)
33rd over: England 145-9 (Hull 0, Bashir 4) Bashir throws his bat at one and sees the ball race along to the third-man rope. Kumara wants his name up on the honours board, and he goes up in appeal for an outside edge to the keeper … but Bashir is safe.
WICKET! Stone c sub Madushka b Kumara 10 (England 145-9)
Stone tries to thwack Kumara through the off side but nicks off to Madushka. The end is nigh.
32nd over: England 141-8 (Stone 6, Hull 0) Stone waves his bat around but can’t make much contact until a dab into the leg side from the fourth ball gives him one. Five men wait on the leg side for Hull to make a mistake … he survives due to there being no silly point, the ball looping up into that region.
And we’re back, with Olly Stone to face the wrath of Asitha. The field is set for the short ball, including a fly slip.
Some tea-time reading. Goodbye, Mo.
Tea: England 140-8 (lead by 202 runs)
What a cracking session. England collapsed from 56-2 to 82-7 before Jamie Smith countered with a sparkling 67. But Sri Lanka can see the light now, having removed him before the break.
WICKET! Smith c Kusal Mendis b Vishwa 67 (England 140-8)
Stone drives for three before Smith pulls Vishwa for four, moving to 59 off just 46! The lead is now at 194; anything over 200 and I worry for Sri Lanka. Smith punches through the covers for four more and Ricky Ponting can’t believe there aren’t men back on the boundary, stopping this mayhem. A gap at deep midwicket is pierced next by Smith. The fielders come in for the final ball of the session … and Smith slogs to midwicket! Sri Lanka get lucky, but they may have lost the game in those last few overs.
30th over: England 125-7 (Smith 55, Stone 2) Asitha finally decides to go full against Stone, which is the right move. Stone tucks one around the leg-side corner for one. Asitha bumps Smith before the England keeper clubs him down the ground for a boundary. Smith can do no wrong this summer; he probably even managed to get Oasis tickets for a tenner or summat.
Half-century for Jamie Smith!
Rathnayake is taken off by his skipper after a loose over from the Vauxhall End, with Vishwa back. Smith clips the first ball for two, and does the same with the next. Midwicket retreats before Smith lofts over mid-off for four; this really is excellent from Smith, who’s threatening to play the match-winning innings. A pull for four more follows – Smith has gone from 15 off 31 to 47 off 41. Make that 49 off 42, before another clip for two produces a 43-ball half-century. The Oval crowd rises to applaud him.
29th over: England 120-7 (Smith 51, Stone 1)
28th over: England 104-7 (Smith 35, Stone 1) I fear Sri Lanka are letting their moment slip. Asitha is persisting with the short ball against Stone rather than sticking to the more potent, fuller delivery.