England is on the verge of securing a victory against Sri Lanka in the first test match as they managed to reduce the touring team to 107-4 in their second innings. Currently, Sri Lanka trails England by 15 runs with only five wickets remaining. Unfortunately, Dinesh Chandimal had to be taken to the hospital after a blow to his right thumb from a delivery by Mark Wood, forcing him to retire hurt.

Thanks to a breathtaking maiden test century by wicketkeeper Jamie Smith, who scored 111 runs, England achieved a significant lead of 122 runs after their first innings, concluding at 358 all out after starting Day 3 at 259-6. Sri Lanka had a rough start, falling to 6-3 in their first innings and stumbling to 2-1 in their second innings after the early dismissals of Nishan Madushka and Kusal Mendis for ducks before lunch.

In the second session, Dimuth Karunaratne was dismissed by Wood for 27 runs off his first ball, as he edged the delivery onto his body and was caught by Harry Brook at second slip. Chandimal’s injury setback further weakened Sri Lanka as he underwent an X-ray at the hospital, potentially jeopardizing his participation in the remainder of the series.

Angelo Mathews, unbeaten at 48, valiantly held the fort against England’s bowling attack, but his partners kept falling. Captain Dhananjaya de Silva was out lbw for 10 runs, despite a failed review from Sri Lanka. Meanwhile, Kamindu Mendis stood at 6 not out alongside Mathews.

Smith’s exceptional performance continued as he took a catch to dismiss Kusal Mendis after his impressive century that included eight fours and a six, rescuing England from a precarious 67-3 position on the previous day. Smith, preferred over Ben Foakes and Jonny Bairstow as England’s wicketkeeper for the ongoing international summer, showcased his prowess both behind the stumps and with the bat. Following his substantial contributions in the series against the West Indies last month, he marked his fourth test match with a well-deserved century.