4.06pm So it will be Stuart Broad with the new ball, he was mightily unlucky in the first innings, having bowled with real pace.
Davoc: "So when we get back home next year, what does the team look like? It looks like we need to drop 2 players to make room for 2 more seamers, but with Rashid playing like this, but needing a compact spinner to play with him?! Ed Smith has a tough job!!" That's the long and the short of it. Leach and (whisper it) Foakes might find their specialist roles aren't as useful at home.
4.04pm Mark: "This would be the 18th highest chase in Test history, but only the 3rd highest by Sri Lanka after 391-6 v Zim in 2017 and 352-9 v South Africa in 2006. "
DA: "Dilruwan Perera ends 6 innings with 22 scalps. Remarkable how he has prepared himslef and taken up the duties left vacant by Herath's retirement." Indeed, and in a losing cause too. He's been a redeeming feature, for sure.
3.57pm So, another typically topsy-turvy England innings - failures at the top, aggression in the middle, endurance at the tail - and they have given themselves a very good shout at wrapping up a 3-0 series win, their first overseas since 1963
Doosra: "I really hope that when the Selectors look back at batsmen such as Foakes they "double" their scores. Batting so low down in the order yet capable of working the ball around and "protecting" the lower order is an amazing feat! The frustration it adds to the fielding side is also massive."
MJ Leach c †Dickwella b Perera 0 (13b 0x4 0x6) SR: 0.00
ZS: "I wonder why is Sam Curran not playing in this match? He would gave scored another quick fire 50 or more. Strangeeee" Side strain. Next!
END OF OVER:69 | 3 Runs | ENG: 225/9
- Jack Leach0 (12b)
- Ben Foakes31 (78b)
- Malinda Pushpakumara12-2-28-3
- Dilruwan Perera29-3-83-4
Lakwin: "What on earth is happening? Why cant we jus wrap this up. I have a funny-good feeling, that we will make a good fist of this chase -- inspired by Mathews and Gunatilake"
Ian Hampton: "Don't forget Broads century was against a Pakistan side that was cheating,bowling deliberate no balls" They were also bowling absolute nuts with the Duke's ball, and reducing Engand to 47 for 5 ... batting has rarely been harder than in that summer...
Philip McCarthy: "Has Broad himself ever said anything about he head blow that he took ... that is, has he said ... "and so I said to myself, I'm done with batting!" ... could that blow just be a coincidence?" To be fair, he has rather conceded that point
END OF OVER:68 | 1 Run | ENG: 222/9
- Jack Leach0 (11b)
- Ben Foakes28 (73b)
- Dilruwan Perera29-3-83-4
- Malinda Pushpakumara11-2-25-3
Dev : "Why exactly isn't Foakes going hammer and tongs? How many more can he get by taking singles to farm the strike? " Because there's still an hour and two days left of this game. Quite literally no rush
Lakwin: "This is a possible chase -- albeit highly improbable. If we are to even have a glimmer of hope, I think it'll be cardinal for us to bat to the end of the day at no loss or maximum one wicket"
Marshall Raja: "It all changed with one bouncer from Varun Aaron. Broad was never the same since that injury." Sad but true. A very squelched nose was the upshot
END OF OVER:67 | 1 Run | ENG: 221/9
- Jack Leach0 (9b)
- Ben Foakes27 (69b)
- Malinda Pushpakumara11-2-25-3
- Dilruwan Perera28-3-82-4