Victory in the second Test match in Kandy means England have secured their first series win in Sri Lanka since 2001.
Joe Root’s side won by 57 runs at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium to take a 2-0 lead in the series with one Test match remaining.
Even if England lose the third Test in Colombo, the BBC reports that they will move above South Africa to second place in the International Cricket Council Test team rankings.
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Speaking after the win in Kandy, England head coach Trevor Bayliss said: “It is only England’s second series win here. Coming here, playing a team in their home conditions - conditions that are foreign to us - it is a fantastic effort.
“The spinners were a bit below par in the first innings; we didn’t get quite enough balls in the right areas. We spoke about that and, under pressure to perform in the second innings, they did a fantastic job.
“Both Rory Burns and Ben Foakes were playing in their second Tests but looked so calm. When they are batting it looks like they are playing in their 30th or 40th Test. That is a great sign going forward. That sends a message to the opposition. We knew Foakes was a very good keeper and he has proved it in this match.”
Third Test team news
England bowler Stuart Broad replaces James Anderson for the final Test match of the series against Sri Lanka. Anderson is rested for the third Test in Colombo.
Sky Sports says that Sam Curran is an injury doubt for the third Test after he suffered a side strain in Kandy. Chris Woakes, Jonny Bairstow and the uncapped Olly Stone are all in contention to replace Curran.
The BBC reports that uncapped spinner Nishan Peiris has been called into the Sri Lanka squad for the Colombo Test. Peiris’s fellow off-spinner Akila Dananjaya was reported for his bowling action in the first Test and will be assessed in Brisbane.
When does the third Test start?
The final Test of the three-match series between Sri Lanka and England starts on Friday 23 November at the Sinhalese Sports Club Ground in Colombo. Play begins at 4.30am UK time and is live on Sky Sports Cricket.
Sri Lanka vs. England cricket series
Test squads
- England: Joe Root (Yorkshire, captain), Moeen Ali (Worcestershire), Jimmy Anderson (Lancashire), Jonny Bairstow (Yorkshire, wicketkeeper), Stuart Broad (Nottinghamshire), Rory Burns (Surrey), Jos Buttler (Lancashire), Sam Curran (Surrey), Joe Denly (Kent), Keaton Jennings (Lancashire), Jack Leach (Somerset), Adil Rashid (Yorkshire), Ben Stokes (Durham), Olly Stone (Warwickshire), Chris Woakes (Warwickshire), Ben Foakes (Surrey)
- Sri Lanka: Dimuth Karunarathne, Kaushal Silva, Kusal Mendis, Angelo Mathews, Niroshan Dickwella, Dhananjaya De Silva, Roshen Silva, Malinda Pushpakumara, Dilruwan Perera, Lakshan Sandakan, Suranga Lakmal, Lahiru Kumara, Kasun Rajitha, Nishan Peiris
Test series TV and radio coverage
The three-match Test series will be broadcast live on Sky Sports Cricket. Ball-by-ball radio coverage will be provided by talkSPORT 2.
Fixtures and results
One-day international series results
- 1st ODI: match abandoned due to rain
- 2nd ODI: England won by 31 runs (DLS method)
- 3rd ODI: England won by seven wickets
- 4th ODI: England won by 18 runs (DLS method)
- 5th ODI: Sri Lanka won by 219 runs (DLS method)
- England won the series 3-1
International Twenty20 match
- IT20: England won by 30 runs
Test series (all UK times)
- 1st Test: England won by 211 runs
- 2nd Test: England won by 57 runs
- 23-27 November: Sri Lanka vs. England 3rd Test at the Sinhalese Sports Club Ground, Colombo (4.30am)
