Image Source : TWITTER/@ENGLANDCRICKET Joe Root
Lahiru Thirimanne led Sri Lanka’s gallant fightback to chop England’s result in 130 after captain Joe Root hit his fourth double check century on the third day of the primary cricket check on Saturday.
Root’s 228 had supplied England a powerful complete of 421 and a significant first innings lead of 286, however Thirimanne stood agency for 2 classes to stay unbeaten on 76 off 189 balls and carried Sri Lanka to 156-2 at stumps.
Thirimanne’s affected person knock which included six boundaries was in sharp distinction to Sri Lanka’s first innings effort when the entire staff was rattled for 135 in two classes on the primary day.
England had a chance to take away Thirimanne quickly after the left-hander had accomplished his half century, however Dom Sibley spilled a two-handed catch at gully.
England additionally wasted one among its three opinions because it unsuccessfully went for an lbw determination in opposition to Thirimanne when he was on 61.
Thirimanne and Kusal Perera began a gentle fightback with their 101-run opening wicket stand as they thwarted the spin risk of Jack Leach and Dom Bess on a turning wicket.
Perera shelved his strokemaking in scoring 62 off 109 balls and even batted with a strapped hand after he was struck by Mark Wood’s quick pitch supply within the center session earlier than England struck twice after tea.
Perera threw away his wicket early within the final session when he performed a rash shot off Sam Curran’s wayward supply and holed out within the deep.
Kusal Mendis, who had failed to attain in his earlier 4 check innings, labored for 65 deliveries in scoring 15 runs, however added 54 runs with Thirimanne to defy England’s hopes of constructing inroads.
Leach lastly struck within the penultimate over of the day when he discovered the skinny fringe of Mendis’ bat to supply England some aid.
Earlier, Root hit 18 fours and a six in his well-composed double century off 321 balls earlier than England was bowled out simply earlier than lunch.
Dilruwan Perera ended Root’s lengthy vigil, which started within the final session on the primary day, when he had England’s skipper caught at deep mid-wicket off an extravagant shot because the offspinner completed with 4-109.
Resuming on 320-4, Root continued to dominate spinners regardless of Sri Lanka hitting again with three wickets in 12 balls.
Fast bowler Asitha Fernando (2-44) had the in a single day batsman Jos Buttler (30) caught behind and Sam Curran was clear bowled off the subsequent ball earlier than Bess, who survived the hat-trick ball was run-out in a mix-up with Root.
But in between these fast wickets, Root raised his double hundred off 291 balls with a slog-swept boundary off Lasith Embuldeniya (3-176) and have become the fourth visiting participant to attain a double century on the picturesque Galle International Stadium.
Chris Gayle (333) of the West Indies, India’s Virender Sehwag (201 not out) and Musfiqur Rahim (200) of Bangladesh are the opposite batsmen to have achieved related feats at Galle.
No. 11 batsman Broad (11 not out) took again to again boundaries off Fernando earlier than Root was the final man to be dismissed simply on the stroke of first session.
