England v Sri Lanka 3rd Test Day Five: Sangakkara Century Earns Sri Lanka A Draw

Kumar Sangakkara’s gritty century at the Rose Bowl ensured that the Sri Lankans would end the third and the final Test match of the series with a draw. England won the Test series by the virtue of their win in the first Test match at Cardiff, a freak win on the final day of that match.

Sangakkara, whose highest score in the series before this century was 26, had come into bat last evening after the Sri Lankans had lost the early wicket of Tharanga Paranavitana and ended the day unbeaten on 44. Sri Lanka were still in trouble at 112 for three, 81 runs behind making England bat again in their second innings.

However, on the fifth and the final day of the Test, Sangakkara’s discipline came through as he left deliveries after deliveries outside the off-stump and played at only those pitched right up to him. He had a surprisingly willing partner in the night-watchman, Rangana Herath, who made 36, but more importantly, blunted the potent English attack in the first one hour of the game.

Even the dismissal of Herath, after he had made 36, did not affect the stand-in captain’s concentration. In Thilan Samaraweera, normally a dour batsman, he had someone who was taking advantage of any loose balls and the two put the match beyond England with a fourth wicket stand of 141.

Sangakkara got to his century and the relief was palpable on his face after the string of failures leading up to this innings. He was dismissed only minutes before the tea-break for 119 but by then, he had done his job. Samaraweera (87*) would have also got to his first century in England but incessant rains in the third session ended any hope of further play with Sri Lanka at .

Sri Lanka will now play a tour game against Worcestershire before their one-off T20I on June 25 at Bristol. The England versus Sri Lanka one-off T20I will start at 1430 hours local time.