After being bowled out for 288, Sri Lanka fought back with a brilliant bowling performance led by Nuwan Pradeep in the last session to stay alive in the 3rd Test against England at Lord’s on Saturday.
The hosts’ were 109 for 4 at stumps on day three and lead the game by 237 runs with 6 wickets at hand.
The visitors were rollicking at 162 for the loss of 1 wicket but the morning session on Saturday was completely dominated by the England seamers. Kusal Mendis and Kaushal Silva was set on 25 and 79 respectively but they were not given a chance to trouble the scores as the former was given LBW in the second over which was bowled by Chris Woakes and the fighting knock from opener Kaushal Silva was brought to an end by Stuart Broad who caught Silva probing outside the off stump.
The big wicket of Angelo Mathews came from a steep bouncer by Chris Woakes which found the edge and it carried to the safe hands of Joe Root. Chandimal & Thirimanna had a quiet partnership of 33 runs before Chandimal was caught plumb in front for the bowling of Steven Finn even after he opted to review it. Thirimanna too perished shortly afterwards trying to drive on the up to Steven Finn. Lankans lost 5 wickets for just 56 runs in the first session which put them right on the back-foot.
The Lions fought back through the partnership of Kusal Perera and Rangana Herath. Kusal making a comeback to the national side showed glimpses of his dominating style of batting. The pair put on a 71 run partnership before Herath chopped on a short ball by Stuart Broad for 32 runs.
Kusal knowing that he is running out partners tried to step on the gas but ended up nicking one to Bairstow when he was playing well on 41 to the bowling of Anderson. The Lankan tail did not wag much as the the impressive bowlers wrapped up the innings just before the tea break.
When play resumed after tea, out-of-form Nick Compton opened with Alex Hales due the absence of their skipper. England’s captain Alistair Cook got hit in the morning session and he was sent to get a precautionary X-Ray of his knee.
The pair put up 45 runs before Compton edged one off Shaminda Eranga for 19 runs. The visitors capitalized on this opening and tightened the screws on the Englishmen. Nuwan Pradeep then struck twice in two balls by cleaning up both Joe Root and James Vince with two cracking in-swinging deliveries to England in a spot of bother at 50 for 3.
Then came the in-form batsman Johnny Bairstow who joined Hales and put up a solid partnership of 51 runs before Bairstow chopped one on to the bowling of Nuwan Pradeep. The right-arm seamer in the very same over found the edge of Alex Hales which was dropped by Dinesh Chandimal. It was hard chance but the Lankans wanted that to stick. Steven Finn was sent to see off the last few overs which he comfortably did.
