LAHIRU KUMARA 4/21, VISHWA FERNANDO 3/40, PATHUM NISSANKA N.O. 53

By Srian Obeyesekere

Sri Lanka was on 94 for 1 wicket and needing 125 more chasing 219 for an incredibly famous win having turned tables on a hitherto dominant England ripped out for 156 in the second innings by Lahiru Kumara 4 for 21 and Vidhwa Fernando 3 for 40 in a seesawing third test on a climaxing third day’s play that ended early again by bad light at the Kennington Oval yesterday.

Kumara and Fernando brought back Sri Lanka right into the game after the visitors had folded for 263: with overnight batsman Dhananjaya de Silva and Kamindu Mendis had fallen early.

Pathum Nissanka led Sri Lanka’s victory charge by a rampant unbeaten 53 off 44 balls firing 7 boundaries to negating the early dismissal of Dimuth Karunaratne for 8 with recalled Kusal Mendis buckling down to 30 off 25 crossing the ropes on seven occasions. Nissanka completed successive half centuries in a return to the test fold from 2-year sidelining.

Asitha Fernando made the first breakthrough seeing off Ben Duckett caught by Vishwa Fernando for 7 followed by Kumara clean bowling Ollie Pope for 7 reducing England to 35 for 2 after 7.4 overs. Dan Lawrence became the third victim taken behind by wicket keeper Dinesh Chandimal off Kumara for 35 – 56 for 3 after 11.1 overs.

The advent of Vishwa Fernando in the 15th over marked the high drama as he led the Lankan attack to undoing England by lateral movement. Fernando doon hastened England’ on the way trapping prize batsman Joe Root leg before wicket for 12 as the hosts lynchpin for once failed in both innings.

Jamie Smith did attempt to ót to England out of trouble smoking his way to what was a top score 67, but Vishwa Fernando had him held by Kusal Mendis. From that point it was a mopping up formality for Dhananjaya and his charges with Kumara and Asitha Fernando and Milan Rathnayake.