ENG vs SL, 3rd Test: Nissanka’s ton denies clean sweep to England as Sri Lanka win by eight wickets

Sri Lanka, set a target of 219, reached that total for the loss of two wickets before lunch on the fourth day, with Nissanka 127 not out and veteran all-rounder Angelo Mathews 32 not out.

Sri Lanka’s Pathum Nissanka celebrates with Angelo Mathews after winning the Test against England at the Oval. | Photo Credit: Reuters

Sri Lanka earned only its fourth test victory on English soil after an unbeaten century by opener Pathum Nissanka helped secure an eight-wicket win in the third and final match of the series against England at The Oval on Monday.

England won the series 2-1 but missed out on a second clean sweep of its international summer, having defeated the West Indies 3-0 in July.

Starting Day 4 on 94-1 and requiring 125 more runs to win, the Sri Lankans needed barely two hours to complete the job in clinical fashion. The platform was built on Sunday when they skittled England for 156 in just 34 overs and were given a victory target of 219.

Nissanka underpinned the chase with his second test hundred, reaching three figures in 107 balls and finishing 127 not out as Sri Lanka got to 219 in 40.3 overs.

Pathum Nissanka of Sri Lanka celebrates reaching his century during the 3rd Test Match between England and Sri Lanka at The Oval. | Photo Credit: Getty Images

The diminutive opener, who struck 13 fours and two sixes, spread his arms wide and soaked in the applause inside a half-full ground after passing 100, then kissed his bat and looked to the sky. His other century was against the West Indies in 2021, his first year in the Sri Lankan test team.

The quality of his knock raised the question why he didn’t start the first test against England at Old Trafford last month, before he was recalled for the second test at Lord’s.

Fittingly, it was Nissanka who scored the clinching runs with a cut for four.

The tourists’ previous test wins in England came in 1998 – that famous 10-wicket victory in a one-off test at The Oval – as well as at Trent Bridge in 2006 and Headingley in 2014.

Mathews and Nissanka of Sri Lanka greets the crowd after winning the 3rd Test Match against England at The Oval. | Photo Credit: Getty Images

This latest one looked unlikely after they won the toss but couldn’t capitalize on perfect bowling conditions on Day 1, which England ended on 221-3. It was all Sri Lanka after that, however, as England got sloppy and occasionally reckless.

The only wicket to fall on Monday was that of Kusal Mendis (39), who pulled a delivery from Gus Atkinson and saw Shoaib Bashir take a diving catch in the deep.

Angelo Mathews was unbeaten on 32 alongside Nissanka at the end, with the pair putting on 111 runs in an unbroken stand for the third wicket.