England vs Sri Lanka : 2nd Test 29 August Thursday at 16:00 GMT+6

England vs Sri Lanka: 2nd Test Match Preview

England and Sri Lanka are gearing up for the second Test of their three-match series, set to commence at the venerable Lord’s Cricket Ground in London on Thursday, August 29.

Series Context:
England entered the series as the clear favorites, but Sri Lanka put up a strong fight in the first Test. Despite a spirited performance from the visitors, England emerged victorious by five wickets after successfully chasing down a target of 205 runs in the fourth innings. The win came on the back of a resilient batting display and effective bowling performances from both teams.

First Test Summary:
In the first innings of the first Test, Sri Lanka found themselves in a precarious position at 113/7. However, a determined effort from captain Dhananjaya de Silva and debutant Milan Rathnayake, both of whom scored half-centuries, lifted Sri Lanka to a total of 236. For England, Chris Woakes and Shoaib Bashir were the standout bowlers, each claiming three wickets and putting the brakes on Sri Lanka’s innings.

England responded with a solid batting performance, taking a 122-run lead in their first innings. Jamie Smith was the star, scoring a commendable 111 off 148 balls for his maiden international century. Despite Asitha Fernando’s impressive performance with four wickets, he was somewhat expensive. Prabath Jayasuriya also performed admirably, taking three wickets in a disciplined 31-over spell out of the 85.3 overs bowled.

In their second innings, Sri Lanka made significant strides with a stronger batting display. Angelo Mathews and Dinesh Chandimal contributed half-centuries, while Kamindu Mendis emerged as the standout performer with his third Test century in just seven innings. Sri Lanka was eventually dismissed for 326, with Chris Woakes and Matthew Potts each taking three wickets to maintain their effective bowling.

England faced a challenging fourth innings but managed to chase down the target thanks to an unbeaten 62 from Joe Root, who anchored the innings. Jamie Smith also played a key role with a 39 off 48 balls in a 64-run partnership with Root, ensuring England’s victory.

What to Expect:
Sri Lanka will be aiming to build on their strong performance from the first Test and come out firing at Lord’s. Their improved batting display and fighting spirit will give them confidence as they seek to level the series. On the other hand, England will be focused on securing the series win at this historic venue and further improving their standing in the World Test Championship (WTC) rankings.

ENG vs SL Probable Playing XIs

England:
England have confirmed their playing XI for the second Test with a significant change due to Mark Wood’s injury. Olly Stone steps in for Wood, making his first Test appearance in over three years.

Playing XI:

• Ben Duckett
• Dan Lawrence
• Ollie Pope (c)
• Joe Root
• Harry Brook
• Jamie Smith (wk)
• Chris Woakes
• Gus Atkinson
• Matthew Potts
• Olly Stone
• Shoaib Bashir

Sri Lanka:
Sri Lanka’s lineup for the second Test may see some changes, especially with the potential introduction of Pathum Nissanka to open the batting alongside Dimuth Karunaratne. Nishan Madushka’s underwhelming performance in the first Test could lead to this adjustment. The rest of the team is expected to remain the same unless any last-minute injuries occur.

Predicted XI:

• Nishan Madushka / Pathum Nissanka
• Dimuth Karunaratne
• Kusal Mendis
• Angelo Mathews
• Dinesh Chandimal (wk)
• Dhananjaya de Silva (C)
• Kamindu Mendis
• Prabath Jayasuriya
• Milan Rathnayake
• Vishwa Fernando
• Asitha Fernando

Both teams are set to provide an exciting contest as they clash at one of cricket’s most iconic venues.

Writen by Hossain Md Imran