Sri Lanka seize control on day three of final Test against England

Sri Lanka has taken charge on the third day of the final Test against England at The Oval.

Sri Lanka, struggling after a poor start where their bowlers couldn't capitalize on favorable conditions, watched as England's Ollie Pope and Ben Duckett performed brilliantly. However, Sri Lanka made a strong comeback with some sharp swing bowling, especially on the second and third days. Despite Jamie Smith's powerful batting helping England recover, Sri Lanka ended the day in a strong position.

England’s first innings saw Pope and Duckett excel, but aside from them, no other English batsman scored more than 20 runs, leaving them all out for 325. Sri Lanka's top scorers in their first innings were Dhananjaya de Silva, Kamindu Mendis, and Pathum Nissanka, each passing fifty but failing to convert their starts into big scores. This left England with a 62-run lead.

In England’s second innings, Dan Lawrence looked set to top-score with a series-best 35, but Smith’s aggressive 67 off 50 balls helped England reach 140 for 8 before being bowled out. Sri Lanka’s bowlers, particularly Vishwa Fernando, kept the pressure on.

By the end of play on Sunday, Sri Lanka was 94 for 1, needing 125 more runs for victory. Dimuth Karunaratne was dismissed for 8, but Nissanka scored a brisk half-century, finishing unbeaten on 53. Kusal Mendis was also not out at 30.

Sri Lanka's bowlers were effective even though conditions were bright, with a few interruptions for rain. Meanwhile, Smith’s late blitz helped England add crucial runs. Despite early strikes from Sri Lanka, including dismissals of Duckett and Pope, England's lower order made valuable contributions.

Vishwa Fernando's inswinging deliveries proved difficult for England's batsmen, and Sri Lanka's bowlers capitalized on their chances. England's tail-enders added runs, but Sri Lanka remains in a strong position heading into the final day, with their bowlers and batsmen both showing their strengths.