NEW DELHI: England firmly established their dominance in the second Test against Sri Lanka at Lord’s on the third day of the match. With a massive target of 483 runs to chase, Sri Lanka found themselves in a precarious position, ending the day at 53-2.
Joe Root‘s remarkable performance was the highlight of the day as he scored his 34th Test century for England, surpassing Alastair Cook’s record of 33 Test hundreds.
Root’s innings of 103 in the second innings, coupled with his 143 in the first, showcased his exceptional batting prowess and cemented his place as England’s greatest centurion in Test cricket.
Sri Lanka’s pursuit of the daunting target got off to a shaky start as they lost the wickets of Nishan Madushka and Pathum Nissanka early in their second innings.
Dimuth Karunaratne (23) and Prabath Jayasuriya (3) were left to navigate the challenging conditions as play was halted due to poor light.
The visitors face an uphill battle to rescue the series, with the highest successful run chase in international Test cricket history being 418, achieved by the West Indies against Australia in Antigua in May 2003.
England’s second innings saw them accumulate a total of 251, with Root’s century being the standout performance. The hosts built on their 231-run lead from the first innings, playing under lights on a gloomy day in north London.
Wickets fell steadily for England, with Ben Duckett (24), captain Ollie Pope (17), and Harry Brook (37) departing before the lunch interval. Duckett’s dismissal was particularly noteworthy, as he fell victim to a fine two-man catch involving Nishan Madushka and Angelo Mathews.
After the break, wickets continued to tumble, but Root remained resolute in his pursuit of the record. Jamie Smith (26), Chris Woakes (5), Gus Atkinson (14), and Matthew Potts (2) all contributed to England’s total, but it was Root’s century that stole the show.
As Root reached the coveted three-figure mark, he celebrated with unbridled joy, removing his helmet and saluting the crowd as his teammates applauded from the pavilion balcony.
With Sri Lanka facing a monumental task to save the series, the fourth day promises to be a thrilling contest as England aims to secure victory and Sri Lanka fights to defy the odds and level the series.
Joe Root‘s remarkable performance was the highlight of the day as he scored his 34th Test century for England, surpassing Alastair Cook’s record of 33 Test hundreds.
Root’s innings of 103 in the second innings, coupled with his 143 in the first, showcased his exceptional batting prowess and cemented his place as England’s greatest centurion in Test cricket.
Sri Lanka’s pursuit of the daunting target got off to a shaky start as they lost the wickets of Nishan Madushka and Pathum Nissanka early in their second innings.
Dimuth Karunaratne (23) and Prabath Jayasuriya (3) were left to navigate the challenging conditions as play was halted due to poor light.
The visitors face an uphill battle to rescue the series, with the highest successful run chase in international Test cricket history being 418, achieved by the West Indies against Australia in Antigua in May 2003.
England’s second innings saw them accumulate a total of 251, with Root’s century being the standout performance. The hosts built on their 231-run lead from the first innings, playing under lights on a gloomy day in north London.
Wickets fell steadily for England, with Ben Duckett (24), captain Ollie Pope (17), and Harry Brook (37) departing before the lunch interval. Duckett’s dismissal was particularly noteworthy, as he fell victim to a fine two-man catch involving Nishan Madushka and Angelo Mathews.
After the break, wickets continued to tumble, but Root remained resolute in his pursuit of the record. Jamie Smith (26), Chris Woakes (5), Gus Atkinson (14), and Matthew Potts (2) all contributed to England’s total, but it was Root’s century that stole the show.
As Root reached the coveted three-figure mark, he celebrated with unbridled joy, removing his helmet and saluting the crowd as his teammates applauded from the pavilion balcony.
With Sri Lanka facing a monumental task to save the series, the fourth day promises to be a thrilling contest as England aims to secure victory and Sri Lanka fights to defy the odds and level the series.
