END OF OVER:93 | 9 Runs 1 Wkt | ENG: 322/6
- Keaton Jennings146 (280b)
- Sam Curran0 (0b)
- Akila Dananjaya18.5-2-87-1
- Rangana Herath23-1-59-2
Owlhelm: "@tim - This is Keaton Jennings we're talking about..."
Zahid Hossain: "Duh! Root should have allowed 4 more runs for Jennings and another wickets for Herath (to finish on par with Kapil) :-)"
James: "Rangana Herath: what an athlete! (to borrow from Sid Waddell)"
MIchael Pounder: "Trying to remember who came out to bat against Wasim Akram in a county match wearing a white floppy hat and was immediately sconned for his impertinence. Was it David Fulton?" --- It was!
tim: "Root declaring with Jennings stuck on 146 seems a bit harsh! surely he could have given him an over to hit a four!? "
JT: "The 3 runs weren't important, the one ball was. Means England get one more over to bowl tonight."
Adrian: "In the record books of quickest to 100 wickets and 1,000 runs by innings, Sam Curran has been sold a dud here by Joe Root!"
4:31pm Now they declare...Root wanted those three. Sri Lanka need 462 to win. But first on their priority is to send off their hero. Rangana Herath finishes with 2 for 59 in 23 overs in his last bowling innings in Test cricket. Leads them off and acknowledges the modest applause from a thin crowd on a Thursday evening. A hug with the coach as he climbs up the stairs. He finishes with 433 wickets at 28.07, two more than Hadlee, one fewer than Kapil Dev. Just as massive a player as either of them.
It is unlikely to be the perfect end for him though. Keaton Jennings is the hero today. A Test hundred after close to two years, and he is unbeaten. It's fitting, he rarely looked out of control and this innings will give him the confidence he has seemingly lacked over the recent past. England have, on paper, more than 180 overs to grab a 1-0 lead. Sri Lanka have about four to worry about tonight.
Joe Root signals to Jennings to stay on. No declaration coming.
BT Foakes c Mendis b Dananjaya 37 (34b 1x4 3x6) SR: 108.82
Baskar: "Is Lakmal injured or what?" --- A wrist injury, yeah.
END OF OVER:92 | 4 Runs | ENG: 313/5
- Keaton Jennings142 (278b)
- Ben Foakes32 (30b)
- Rangana Herath23-1-59-2
- Akila Dananjaya17.5-2-78-0
David: "Going by their last two Tests, England would appear to gain an instant benefit from the retirement of big-name players. "
Michael : "Nope, sorry. Demoralise them completely by batting to Day 4's Lunch... "
James: "Abilash, don't forget that England got thumped 4-0 in India. Conditions play a big part (though India are a much better side than Sri Lanka)."
