ENG VS SL TESTS

Right then, this marks a wrap to this immersive 3-match Test series. It has been nothing short of entertaining and a rollercoaster ride, to say the least. England take the series and further improve their standings in the World Test Championship. Whereas, a bittersweet end for Sri Lanka as they couldn’t clinch the series, but displayed what could be in store for them in the future with this win. Both teams have a streak of Test matches lined up for the next few months. England will be taking on Pakistan for a 3-match Test series, well, the venues haven’t been officially confirmed yet and it may take place outside Pakistan as well. That series will commence on October 7th. But before that, another bigger challenge awaits England in white ball cricket, as they will host Australia for a 3-match T20I series and a 5-match ODI series at home, in just about a week or so. Sri Lanka, on the other hand, has a week’s rest before they host New Zealand at home in a 2-match Test series in Galle, which will begin on September 18th. Until then, cheers and take care!

The English players are now awarded with their medallions. Ollie Pope is requested to collect the silverware now. He collects the glittering trophy and walks towards his fellow teammates who pose for a team photograph. Clean sweeping the West Indies by 3-0 back in August, and now clinching a series win over Sri Lanka by 2-1. England have dominated this English summer with a 5-1 winning performance. And with this, the English Summer comes to a wrap.

The skipper of England, Ollie Pope is up for a talk now. Pope says that it is a disappointing result, but credit to Sri Lanka and they deserved the win. Adds that on Day 3, they kind of shot themselves in the foot as they didn't execute the plans effectively, and praises Nissanka for the way he batted. Says that there was no complacency, they stuck to their approach but just didn't score enough runs. Mentions that it was just one of those days where things didn't work out and they will look at it and try to improve in the upcoming games. Further adds, if they get the balance right, it will be alright as they have shown in the past. Credits Gus Atkinson and Chris Woakes for playing all six Tests because it is not easy for fast bowlers. Tells that they have won 5 out of 6 Tests this summer, and they will learn from this defeat. Says when Stokes will be fit, he will be back leading the side, but he has enjoyed every moment of being the captain. Ends by saying that there have been a few words against him, and it was good to block that noise by scoring runs, but it doesn't matter because it came in a losing cause. Nonetheless, it was great to be back among the runs.

Time for the skippers' talk now! The captain of Sri Lanka, Dhananjaya de Silva is up for a flash interview. He says that there were no emotions in the changing room but is very proud of this team and happy for the win. Adds it is a very big moment, tells they had a tough time in the last two weeks. Adds that to come to England and get the win in these difficult English conditions, is a huge moment for the whole country. Mentions that to get 20 wickets, which they didn't execute in the first two Tests was special. On being asked about Nissanka, he tells that he wanted Pathum Nissanka in the playing XI and he proved that he is the best opening batter for Sri Lanka currently. Says they have a fixed batting lineup up and it is hard to bring someone in. Also adds that Kamindu Mendis and others have been consistently scoring runs in the domestic circuit and is happy to see them perform overseas. Ends by saying that they have will take a lot of confidence and positives from this series and is certain that they can beat any other team.

Kamindu Mendis wins the PLAYER OF THE SERIES for Sri Lanka for his all-round contributions throughout the series. Mendis says that it is a great win for the team. Adds that obviously these are challenging conditions, but their seamers did very well and Pathum Nissanka was excellent as well. Says that he just wanted to enjoy his time in the middle in these conditions. Mentions that he just made small changes here and there that helped him in this series but the main thing is to be confident in your abilities. Ends by saying that he is happy with playing in the middle order, but if the team wants to move him up, he will not mind that as well.

Joe Root wins the PLAYER OF THE SERIES award for England. He is also nominated as the PLAYER OF THE SUMMER for his immaculate contributions with the bat. He says it has been a great summer and is always nice to contribute as a senior player. He adds that he is trying to evolve every day. Mentions that this game is fickle and things change very quickly and that you need to keep working hard and keep training hard. On being asked whether he is at the peak of his career, he tells that the last few years have been the most enjoyable of his career. Also adds that they tried to find ways to put pressure on the opposition and stuck to the basics. Says it is what brings the best out of them.

Pathum Nissanka is adjudged as the PLAYER OF THE MATCH for his fabulous 127 off just 124 balls. He says that this was a great opportunity for him to play in England and he enjoyed his knock. Adds that it was slightly difficult in the morning but he has a positive mindset which helped him. Ends by saying he just wanted to play his normal game. When asked 'Why he didn't play in the first Test?', he just smiled.

... THE PRESENTATION CEREMONY ...

England's bowling lineup, usually a formidable force, found itself grappling with unexpected hurdles. The promising Gus Atkinson, hampered by a nagging quad issue, struggled to find his usual rhythm. This left Chris Woakes, the seasoned campaigner, shouldering much of the responsibility as the most experienced bowler in the squad. Josh Hull was impressive with the ball, but his fitness too, was under the scanner. Although with the Day 4 pitch, full of roughs and turn, England could have tried to utilize some of Root, Lawrence and especially more of Bashir. But, overall, the positive thing for them is that they have clinched this series by 2-1.

Woakes tried his heart out by bowling those outswingers and tempted Mathews to just poke and edge one. The trap was set with short barrages from one end and fuller ones from the other - however, as patient as they needed to be, with just a couple of blemishes, Sri Lanka sailed nicely along with Nissanka taking on anything that was wide of off with those productive square cuts. Nissanka then went on to notch his 2nd Test century in the end. Angelo Mathews, using all his vast experience of over a hundred Tests, played a very responsible role in racking a steady 32 and preventing any fall of wicket further. A 111-run partnership between the two is all that took Sri Lanka to get home comfortably in the end.

Day 4 dawned under ominous grey skies, with gloomy weather that seemed to promise challenges. Sri Lanka needed 125 runs. A cold London morning it was with wind and swing, but the two accomplished Sri Lankan batters, navigated the first thirty minutes or so nicely. However, a short ball ploy for Mendis turned fruitful for Gus Atkinson, courtesy of a screamer of a catch by Bashir.

Chasing 219, Sri Lanka lost Dimuth Karunaratne early, but he did become the fourth Sri Lankan batter to cross 7000 Test runs. However, Pathum Nissanka played aggressively, while Mendis supported him well. Together, they kept the scoreboard moving and found regular boundaries. Nissanka reached a fine half-century, and the pair added over 50 runs, steadily closing in on the target. Bad Light eventually halted play, with Sri Lanka needing 125 more runs and 9 wickets in hand.

Day 3, often called the 'Moving Day,' saw a significant momentum shift as Sri Lanka gained the upper hand. The day began with debutant Josh Hull redeeming himself by dismissing the set Dhananjaya de Silva, followed by Woakes removing Kamindu Mendis. England wrapped up Sri Lanka’s innings quickly, securing a 62-run lead. However, their aggressive approach with the bat backfired as Duckett and Pope were dismissed before Lunch. In the second session, Sri Lanka’s pacers took control. Dan Lawrence's reckless approach saw him edge one to Lahiru Kumara, and Vishwa Fernando's pinpoint in-swinging yorkers removed both Root and Brook. Jamie Smith fought back with a rapid fifty, but Vishwa struck again just before Tea. England's innings collapsed, with Kumara finishing with four wickets.

Sri Lanka then, with the bat found themselves in a bit of a tangle. Apart from Nissanka, who notched 64, none of the top and middle order batter could get going. But the alliance of skipper Dhananjaya de Silva and Kamindu Mendis came to their rescue and literally bailed them out from a precarious 93-5. Their valiant 127-run stand for the 6th wicket injected new hope for the islanders. The second day by and large went to the islanders before the play was stopped due to bad light.

But credit where it's due - the Lankan bowlers didn't just roll over and play dead. They showed some grit in the end and managed to put the brakes on what was looking like a runaway train. In the end, they kept England to 325, which, could've been a whole lot worse given how things were going and how brilliantly England batted. Milan Rathnayake snagged an impressive 3-fer while Vishwa, Lahiru Kumara and the skipper Dhananjaya de Silva too, chipped in with a couple each.

Alright then, let's take a quick trip down memory lane for this third and final Test, shall we? Sri Lanka decided to let the hosts have the first crack with the willow. England, true to form, and sincere to their Bazball approach, pretty much owned day one. The English inning was a bit of a rollercoaster, with Ben Duckett smashing a solid 86 and skipper Ollie Pope going absolutely bonkers, notching up the quickest 150 The Oval's ever seen.

Wins at The Oval in 1998, then in Nottingham in 2006 followed by a triumph in Leeds in 2014 and now breaching The Oval, again! Yes, Sri Lanka did lose the series, courtesy of immaculate cricket from the English side in the first two Tests, but this win will surely prove as a confidence booster for the island nation. Sanath Jayasuriya, the current Sri Lankan head coach, who was also part of those two famous wins against England, welcomes the centurion Pathum Nissanka and his partner Angelo Mathews with a broad smile and pats his back with proud emotions.

From London to Colombo, the Sri Lankans rejoice in delight and pride as they have defeated England by a convincing margin of 8 wickets. A win in Kennington Oval back in 1998 and now in 2024 as well - which is, 26 long years of wait. This victory marks a significant milestone for Sri Lankan cricket, breaking their decade-long drought of wins against England in Test matches. It's their fourth Test win on English soil and 9th overall in head-to-head against England. For a team that has faced its share of struggles in recent years, this win at the iconic Oval could be the spark they needed.