Summary

  • England win by six wickets - complete 2-0 series win

  • Sibley hits unbeaten half-century after England slip to 89-4

  • Embuldeniya takes 10 wickets in the match

  • Sri Lanka bowled out for 126

  • Four wickets each for Leach and Bess; two in two for Root

  • Three superb catches by Crawley at short leg

  • England add just five runs to overnight 339-9

  1. Eng 17-0published at 4.4 overs

    There's absolutely no way this match is ending in a draw. Not a chance.

  2. get involved

    Get Involvedpublished at 08:36 Greenwich Mean Time 25 January 2021

    #bbccricket

    Mike: England should try and be positive and not get bogged down in chasing these but also play sensibly and not take any risks.

    Piemontemio: Don't forget England are 1-0 up, they don't need to chase the win. The question is, can they bat a day and a half for the draw...?

  3. Eng 17-0published at 4 overs

    Target 164

    England have been 10-1, 12-2 and 5-2 in this series. There's still time for it to change but it's amazing what just a tiny little start does for the nerves.

    Crawley has been good. He is ticking over nicely with 13 from 14 balls.

  4. get involved

    Get Involvedpublished at 08:34 Greenwich Mean Time 25 January 2021

    Text 81111 (UK only)

    England's highest first-wicket stand of the tour. Great time to come to form boys.

    Brendan from Warrington

  5. Eng 14-0published at 3.4 overs

    Zak Crawley is into double figures! It's the first time either England's openers have managed that in the series.

    He gets there with a well-run two. England have started well.

  6. Eng 12-0published at 3 overs

    Target 164

    It's painful isn't it, Matthew? But we wouldn't want it any other way.

    Embuldeniya finds some bite from this ageing surface but Sibley plays it well. He doesn't chase the ball with his hands and it comfortably spins past the edge.

  7. get involved

    Get Involvedpublished at 08:31 Greenwich Mean Time 25 January 2021

    Text 81111 (UK only)

    Ahhhh, the usual ball of nerves (hoping my wicket alerts stay silent), as England bat to win (survive).

    Matthew in Edinburgh

  8. Eng 11-0published at 2.3 overs

    Sri Lanka go up in unison for their first appeal of the innings. Sibley is hit on the pad but that didn't look to have a lot going for it. It was actually a no-ball anyway from Embuldeniya.

  9. Eng 9-0published at 2 overs

    Target 164

    Sibley knocks another ball into the leg side. It looks like that'll be his method. He calmly wanders down to complete a single. That's all England need to do.

  10. Eng 8-0published at 1.2 overs

    The first heart-in-mouth moment comes when Crawley squirts one off the edge through gully. Wicketkeeper Niroshan Dickwella is very, very chirpy.

  11. Postpublished at 08:27 Greenwich Mean Time 25 January 2021

    Michael Vaughan
    Former England captain on BBC Test Match Special

    Sri Lanka are going to need a real collective effort. Everything is going to have to stick. England just have to play with control and not gamble too much. Don't gift them four or five wickets by playing too many high-risk shots.

  12. Eng 7-0published at 1.1 overs

    England have all the time they need. There's no rush.

    It's spin from both ends for Sri Lanka with off-spinner Dilruwan Perera sharing the new ball.

  13. get involved

    Get Involvedpublished at 08:26 Greenwich Mean Time 25 January 2021

    Text 81111 (UK only)

    Can someone remind England that we don't have to win it today. There is a whole day to come.

    Ted in Tiverton

  14. Eng 7-0published at 1 over

    Crawley 6, Sibley 1

    Sibley, too, gets off the mark. He does so with a single into the leg side.

    It's a calm first over for England's openers. You just know it'll get a lot tougher at some stage.

  15. get involved

    Get Involvedpublished at 08:24 Greenwich Mean Time 25 January 2021

    Text 81111 (UK only)

    Hoping the openers can hang around, if not we might as well just open with Root until Embuldeniya has a break!

    Paul

  16. Eng 4-0published at 0.2 overs

    England are away as Zak Crawley drills away a full toss served up by Embuldeniya.

  17. Eng 0-0published at 08:23 Greenwich Mean Time 25 January 2021

    164 to win

    Neither of England's openers have reached double figures in this series. They have fallen to Lasith Embuldeniya in every one of their innings.

    Unsurprisingly, the left-arm spinner has the ball in hand.

  18. Postpublished at 08:21 Greenwich Mean Time 25 January 2021

    Who are you backing?

    Thumbs up for England. Thumbs down for Sri Lanka.

  19. 'If England apply themselves they should win'published at 08:21 Greenwich Mean Time 25 January 2021

    Michael Vaughan
    Former England captain on BBC Test Match Special

    It has been a remarkable 24 hours for England. There has been brilliant character and a huge amount of skill.

    There are going to be chances created. Sri Lanka have just been bowled out cheaply but if you think of the amount of catches that went through slip off the spinners, they could have been bowled out for 85-90 if everything had stuck.

    If England apply themselves, and are willing to do the hard yards, it can't just be aggression and playing high-risk cricket shots, they should win.

  20. Postpublished at 08:20 Greenwich Mean Time 25 January 2021

    • Bess: 16 overs 4-49
    • Leach: 14 overs 4-59
    • Root: 1.5 overs 2-0

    All 10 wickets fell to the spinners in that innings after they failed to take any in the first.

    Dom BessImage source, Sri Lanka Cricket