England collapsed to 156 all out against Sri Lanka with Lahiru Kumara taking 4-21. Pathum Nissanka and Dimuth Karunaratne made a strong start in the second innings for Sri Lanka, with Nissanka hitting some boundaries to move to 23, and Karunaratne on 6.
Jamie Smith played a brilliant innings of 67 for England but Sri Lanka fought back, with Vishwa Fernando picking up key wickets. Joe Root was dismissed for 6 as England found themselves in trouble at 56-3, with Dan Lawrence on 22 at the other end.
Sri Lanka’s bowlers were on top form, with Lahiru Kumara and Asitha Fernando causing trouble for the England batsmen. The match hung in the balance as Sri Lanka looked to restrict England’s lead and mount a successful chase in the fourth innings.
Despite the stop-start nature of the game due to weather interruptions, fans were treated to an exciting day of Test cricket at the Oval. The sun came out as Sri Lanka piled on the pressure, setting up a thrilling finale for the final day of the Test match.
The match was finely poised, with both teams vying for victory in the series-deciding game. With the match delicately balanced, fans eagerly awaited the outcome of the final day’s play to see who would emerge triumphant in this closely contested Test match.
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