Overview of the Series
Ollie Pope and his team will face Sri Lanka in the 3rd and final Test of the series at the Kennington Oval in London. The home team has been exceptional with brilliant individual performances consistently placing them on top.
Sri Lanka’s Bowling Strength
Sri Lanka will rely on their bowlers to gain an advantage over the hosts in this Test. They performed well at Lord’s in the 1st innings, reducing England to 6 for 216 runs. However, they missed the chance to clear the tail quickly, which could have given them a significant edge in the 1st innings.
Joe Root and Gus Atkinson were key in turning the game in England’s favor. Kamindu Mendis is Sri Lanka’s only centurion in the series, scoring a hundred at number 7 in the 1st Test.
Mendis was the top scorer for Sri Lanka in the 1st innings of the last Test with a 74-run knock. Whereas Dinesh Chandimal scored the second-highest score which was just 23 runs. The lack of significant contributions from top and middle-order batters remains a major concern for Sri Lanka.
England Preview
Stand-in skipper Ollie Pope is struggling with the bat and aims for a big knock at the Kennington Oval. His returns in the last 2 Tests were 1, 6, and 6. As a number 3 batter, Pope has a crucial role to play.
Joe Root, meanwhile, is in outstanding form, scoring back-to-back hundreds at Lord’s in the 2nd Test. He played a significant role in England’s comeback in the 1st innings after losing half of their side for under 200 runs.
If Pope finds his form, England will be an even tougher challenge for the visitors. Harry Brook and Jamie Smith have a chance to cement their positions in the Test side for future series.
England’s strength lies in their depth, with all-rounders including Gus Atkinson at number 8, who scored a brilliant hundred at Lord’s in the 1st innings. Although the openers haven’t scored big yet, they have the potential for impactful performances.
The pace trio of Gus Atkinson, Chris Woakes, and Olly Stone is in excellent shape and will be a formidable force. Pacers will play a key role on this pitch, and England is confident in their bowlers following recent wins.
England Predicted Playing XI
Ollie Pope (c), Joe Root, Daniel Lawrence, Ben Duckett, Harry Brook, Jamie Smith (wk), Gus Atkinson, Chris Woakes, Olly Stone, Matthew Potts, Shoaib Bashir
Sri Lanka Preview
Sri Lanka aims to avoid a clean sweep and had chances in the last match but failed to capitalize. Their batting form has been poor, impacting their winning chances significantly.
Their batting collapses in the 1st innings of both Old Trafford and Lord’s Tests left them on the back foot.
Dimuth Karunaratne, an experienced batter, is expected to deliver quality performances at the top. He managed a solitary fifty in the series so far that came in the 2nd innings at Lord’s.
Angelo Matthews, with his experience, can play a significant innings. Dinesh Chandimal and Dhananjaya de Silva are crucial in the lower order.
The inconsistencies in the lineup are a major concern for skipper Dhananjaya de Silva. Kamindu Mendis is the only one showing promise in the lower order.
Sri Lanka’s bowlers are in good rhythm and can challenge the English batters. Lahiru Kumara and Asitha Fernando will spearhead the bowling attack, supported by left-arm orthodox bowler Prabath Jayasuriya, who is also a crucial wicket-taker.
Sri Lanka Predicted Playing XI
Dhananjaya de Silva (c), Angelo Mathews, Dimuth Karunaratne, Dinesh Chandimal, Pathum Nissanka, Kamindu Mendis, Nishan Madushka (wk), Asitha Fernando, Prabath Jayasuriya, Lahiru Kumara, Milan Priyanath Rathnayake
Weather Conditions
The first of the 3rd Test between England and Sri Lanka in London could be interrupted by the rain. The entire day might be lost or at best, only a few overs might be played in the final session. Day 2 is expected to be cloudy, with rain predicted again for the 3rd and 4th days. Winning for either team might be challenging if the weather predictions hold true.
ENG vs SL Pitch Report
Considering the overcast conditions, bowlers are likely to have an advantage on this pitch. There is some movement for pacers, especially with the new ball under clouds. In Test matches held at the Kennington Oval, the typical scores for the 1st and 2nd innings are 341 runs and 302 runs, respectively.
Toss: To Bat
The history of the at the Kennington Oval favors the teams batting first as doing so yielded victory 41 times out of the 109 Tests so far. There is substantial help for batters on Day 1 and 2. Chasing a target on Day 5 will be difficult on this pitch, so batting first should be the strategy.
Fantasy XI Picks :
- Joe Root
- Ben Duckett
- Harry Brook
- Gus Atkinson
- Chris Woakes
- Matthew Potts
- Dimuth Karunaratne
- Pathum Nissanka
- Dhananjaya de Silva
- Asitha Fernando
- Prabath Jayasuriya
Conclusion :
With Sri Lanka having lost the series, they might make changes to the batting lineup, possibly including Samawickrama or Kusal Mendis. England is in great shape with Root performing consistently and the bowlers making it tough for the visitors. The hosts will start as favorites, but the weather forecast suggests a high chance of a draw.
