Both teams will fancy their chances. The last 3 wickets have been worth 109, 125 and 45 respectively in the 3 innings to date.
Cricket
- Thread starter summerisle
- Start date
been some great test cricket this year, I cheered the wicket but a little gutted for matthews there
Chris O'Connor
Player Valuation: £35m
It may not have been of the best quality throughout its entirety, and there has been poor cricket from both sides at times, but for unexpected twists and turns this test match has been right up there.
England have been in dominant positions on more than one occasion only for the pendulum to swing and suddenly Sri Lanka look favourites. At tea with Angelo Mathews batting like the colossus he used to be several years ago and magnificently defiant, 82 were needed with only five in the hutch, it looked all over and the decisive blow had been struck, however the 20 balls after tea have given the lie to all that, in those 20 deliveries England took two monumental strides, and the game's outlook was transformed once again.
The first blow after the break was struck by Moeen Ali, who had bowled beautifully just before the break as well. Third ball, he trapped Mathews in front of the stumps for 88 - the second occasion in the series in which Mathews has been out in the over after tea. The next wicket went to Jack Leach, who looped one into Dilruwan Perera's boot and raised a successful lbw appeal, the batsman having just plain missed it.
The occasional ball still took off from a length for the spinners, but it seemed to have slowed down quite a bit, meaning that batting was still difficult, but perhaps not as arduous as it had been on days two and three. Dananjaya and Lakmal were involved in partnerships worth 56 and 28 in the first innings, but on this occasion, they will be batting with a less secure senior batsman in Dickwella, and also have to contend with the intense pressure of a run chase.
The odds although it's by no means over
England 1/5, Sri Lanka 5/1, Draw 20/1
England have been in dominant positions on more than one occasion only for the pendulum to swing and suddenly Sri Lanka look favourites. At tea with Angelo Mathews batting like the colossus he used to be several years ago and magnificently defiant, 82 were needed with only five in the hutch, it looked all over and the decisive blow had been struck, however the 20 balls after tea have given the lie to all that, in those 20 deliveries England took two monumental strides, and the game's outlook was transformed once again.
The first blow after the break was struck by Moeen Ali, who had bowled beautifully just before the break as well. Third ball, he trapped Mathews in front of the stumps for 88 - the second occasion in the series in which Mathews has been out in the over after tea. The next wicket went to Jack Leach, who looped one into Dilruwan Perera's boot and raised a successful lbw appeal, the batsman having just plain missed it.
The occasional ball still took off from a length for the spinners, but it seemed to have slowed down quite a bit, meaning that batting was still difficult, but perhaps not as arduous as it had been on days two and three. Dananjaya and Lakmal were involved in partnerships worth 56 and 28 in the first innings, but on this occasion, they will be batting with a less secure senior batsman in Dickwella, and also have to contend with the intense pressure of a run chase.
The odds although it's by no means over
England 1/5, Sri Lanka 5/1, Draw 20/1
I thought the game was drifting away from us by tea, but those two quick wickets after it have turned the tide in our favour.
However, in this Test the tailenders of both sides have hung around long enough to make crucial runs so the Sri Lankans are certainly still in it.
Really frustrating though that the rain came just those two wickets when we were right on top.
However, in this Test the tailenders of both sides have hung around long enough to make crucial runs so the Sri Lankans are certainly still in it.
Really frustrating though that the rain came just those two wickets when we were right on top.
Anyone on here sad enough to be still up for what should be the last session of this excellent Test match?
Would be rather amusing if we won it by 4 runs or less after those five dubious penalty runs.
Would be rather amusing if we won it by 4 runs or less after those five dubious penalty runs.
summerisle
The rain, it raineth every day
Just woken up after a miserable hour's sleep. Up now for the duration.
summerisle
The rain, it raineth every day
Might be an early night. Two wickets in three balls for Moeen.
summerisle
The rain, it raineth every day
That didn't take long, won by 57 runs, Leach five wickets, great win.
A 5 wicket haul for Leach wraps up the series for us.
England have certainly played the better cricket and deserved the win. Always great to record a rare win away from home.
England have certainly played the better cricket and deserved the win. Always great to record a rare win away from home.
summerisle
The rain, it raineth every day
Not many teams anymore win series away from home. Great performance.
Our record in particular away from home is poor so to win this series in alien conditions is excellent.
summerisle
The rain, it raineth every day
Chris O'Connor
Player Valuation: £35m
Sri Lanka may have out 'Englanded' England in a good way in their first innings when converting 165-6 to 336 all out, but they've ended this enthralling test match by copying one of their very worst traits and a quite horrendous collapse, a position of some strength at 221-5 with the revitalised Angelo Mathews leading the charge has subsided quite alarmingly, being all out for the addition of only 26 runs, 26-5 in effect.
Only three sides since the first World War had chased down such a target of 75 with only three wickets remaining, the bookmakers had perhaps recognised this and were giving a best price of 1/5 for an England win and i must admit to being quietly confident too, although confident of anything in such a topsy-turvy match had so far proved to be a perilous position.
This morning Root once again kept faith with his spin attack, opting for Jack Leach and Moeen Ali, his two most accurate spinners, and let scoreboard pressure do the rest. With no early fireworks from Dickwella and only singles being added, England were able to gradually apply the scoreboard pressure and tighten the noose. The eighth-wicket pair picked up the singles on offer, but no nerve-jangling boundaries. They added ten more runs - before England struck, Moeen removed the dangerous Dickwella and Lakmal in the same over leaving Jack Leach to complete the honours and seal a famous series victory.
England have now achieved their first series overseas victory since way back in 2016 and their last tour of South Africa. As is unfortunately the ludicrous practice in test cricket these days, they haven't received any winners trophy but may now do so against a back drop of disappointment and failure after the final and now futile dead rubber.
Only three sides since the first World War had chased down such a target of 75 with only three wickets remaining, the bookmakers had perhaps recognised this and were giving a best price of 1/5 for an England win and i must admit to being quietly confident too, although confident of anything in such a topsy-turvy match had so far proved to be a perilous position.
This morning Root once again kept faith with his spin attack, opting for Jack Leach and Moeen Ali, his two most accurate spinners, and let scoreboard pressure do the rest. With no early fireworks from Dickwella and only singles being added, England were able to gradually apply the scoreboard pressure and tighten the noose. The eighth-wicket pair picked up the singles on offer, but no nerve-jangling boundaries. They added ten more runs - before England struck, Moeen removed the dangerous Dickwella and Lakmal in the same over leaving Jack Leach to complete the honours and seal a famous series victory.
England have now achieved their first series overseas victory since way back in 2016 and their last tour of South Africa. As is unfortunately the ludicrous practice in test cricket these days, they haven't received any winners trophy but may now do so against a back drop of disappointment and failure after the final and now futile dead rubber.
In good tests You normally get it swinging day by day , even sometimes by session this changed during the sessions . Excellent test match and a well deserved victory.