September 7, 2024

Rain-Disrupted Day Turns England’s Way with Pope’s Century

Sri Lanka secured three wickets in 44.1 overs after opting to bowl on a gloomy morning
England 221 for 3 (Pope 103*, Duckett 86) vs Sri Lanka

Ollie Pope, determined and focused, reached a crucial century by cutting the ball to the boundary. Although every hundred counts, this one carried extra weight for Pope. With England already dominating Sri Lanka on day one of the third Test, in a series they’ve already clinched, this century was personal. It marked Pope’s seventh Test hundred, each against a different opponent – a first in the sport. Under pressure after four failed innings, and standing in for injured captain Ben Stokes, Pope’s performance was scrutinized. Stokes’ approving nod from the balcony signaled his respect for the defiant innings, recognizing a gritty effort that mirrored his own style.

Moments later, with Ollie Pope unbeaten on 103 from as many balls, boos and slow clapping echoed around a three-quarters-full Kia Oval as the umpires halted play for bad light for the second time. This decision was final, with stumps called just before 6:30 pm, leaving England at 221 for 3, with Harry Brook not out on 8.

Earlier, play was delayed for nearly three hours due to questionable weather conditions. Despite the break, Ben Duckett and Pope piled on runs once play resumed, putting together a 95-run stand for the second wicket. Duckett impressed with 86 from 79 balls before being dismissed, while Joe Root followed with just 13 off 48 deliveries. Although Dan Lawrence struggled with a poor knock in place of the injured Zak Crawley, Pope’s century brought stability after a string of low scores earlier in the series.

Duckett’s Aggression and Pope’s Composure Keep England in Command

Duckett’s attempted ramp off Lahiru Kumara barely bounced inside the boundary at deep third, heading into the crowd rather than over fine leg as intended, but it didn’t matter for England. At the other end, Pope looked composed, timing a perfect shot through midwicket off Kumara shortly after.

Duckett continued to dominate, successfully ramping Kumara over the fine-leg fence and then guiding a bouncer over deep third for another six in the same over. He survived an lbw appeal two balls later on umpire’s call after being hit high on the back thigh. However, his productive ramp shot eventually led to his downfall as he mistimed a slower ball from Milan Rathnayake, giving an easy catch to wicketkeeper Dinesh Chandimal.

Pope stepped up, top-edging Kumara for six over the keeper’s head, followed by a four through backward point to bring up his fifty off 58 balls. After a brief quiet spell, Pope broke the shackles, driving Angelo Mathews through the covers for four and threading another boundary between slip and gully, narrowly missing the fielders. Root was later caught at fine leg by Vishwa Fernando, giving Kumara his second wicket, but England remained firmly in control.

Sri Lanka’s Early Advantage Fades as Duckett and Pope Take Control

The day began with Sri Lanka aiming to capitalize on Dhananjaya de Silva winning the toss for the third consecutive game. Duckett had a shaky start, flashing twice at Asitha Fernando outside off stump and benefiting from a lucky inside edge that raced to the fine leg boundary. However, he soon found his rhythm, confidently clipping Vishwa Fernando through square leg.

Meanwhile, Lawrence struggled, remaining scoreless after 10 balls in five overs. He finally got off the mark with two runs to square leg off Kumara, greeted by ironic cheers from the crowd. Duckett shifted gears, hitting Rathnayake for back-to-back boundaries over extra cover, while Lawrence’s woes continued. He mistimed a pull shot off Kumara straight to Pathum Nissanka at gully, departing for a disappointing 5 off 21 balls, adding to his underwhelming series scores of 30, 34, 9, and 7.

Pope quickly got into his stride, back-cutting a wide Rathnayake delivery for four and launching a Kumara short ball for six over deep backward square. Duckett followed up by smashing two fours in three balls off Rathnayake, reaching 48, and then brought up his fifty with a powerful drive through the covers for three runs.