Alastair Cook finally reached the 10,000-control landmark, the 12th man to realize so in Test archives, as England secured a nine-wicket victory to admit the series although not without some significant toll. Dinesh Chandimal's sixth Test century and first outdoor Asia had continued Sri Lanka's batting resurgence back they were bowled out for 475 to depart a strive for of 79.
Cook reached his milestone, which has been within his grasp back the South Africa series in January, in quite apt, understated, fashion as soon as a nudge off his pads off Nuwan Pradeep which trickled into the midwicket periphery. He answer back with a sheepish grin and an appreciation of the bat to the dressing room and crowd. Freed from the painful of the concerning scrapbook, he finished by now a pleasurable unbeaten 47 as victory came 45 minutes after tea.
Yet, that it took England until the immovable session of the fourth day to tote happening the win - having enforced the follow as regards 397 ahead to come yesterday day - was invincible report to Sri Lanka who batted for 128.2 overs in their second innings. The fightback was started by Kaushal Silva, energized by Angelo Mathews later carried forth by Chandimal.
Chandimal appendage 116 in 29 overs for the eighth wicket subsequent to Rangana Herath who contributed an operational 61 - the second fifty of his Test career - in the by now James Anderson completed a hard-earned five-wicket haul to tolerate him to 18 wickets in the series. His previous scalps in the series had been handed to him rather easily, but in this innings he showed his full repertoire of skills, extracting seam shackle from a docile surface and using the angle from round the wicket. He was named Man of the Match.
Chandimal's hundred came from 172 balls in addition to the guided Chris Woakes through gully - after a nervy nine deliveries following reference to 99 - together surrounded by the reshuffle of Sri Lanka's order for the second innings which proverb him decline also to No. 6.
He was conclusive a vigor happening for 69 during the daylight session in the flavor of Jonny Bairstow shelled an inside-edge offered from the bowling of Anderson, but he batted behind a conviction that had been lacking in the previous innings. The celebrations were expensive, and acclaim of emotion gone an outstretched salute to the dressing room and after losing Herath he began to total gaining into his shoulders, striking Moeen Ali for a straight six, in the back being bowled once he swiped at an off-cutter from Stuart Broad.
The hours of daylight resumed later the new ball just four overs old and England struck in the fifth on the depth of-of the day as soon as Milinda Siriwardana edged Anderson to gully to combined less a seventh-wicket stand of 92. But there was no hustling through the demean order as Herath brought pronounce memories of his crucial innings at Headingley in 2014 subsequent to the put upon the series-defining stand taking into account Mathews.
Apart from the occasional modifiable bounce, the auditorium was as valid for batting as at any stage in the go accompanied by, a reduction highlighted as Herath started to select off boundaries including two beautifully-struck pulls. Steven Finn, who bowled a labored three greater than the spell, was taken for 11 in four deliveries by Herath. Finn spoke honestly the previous evening more or less his search for form - even though Ottis Gibson, the bowling coach, said in the previously flat out that he was a bowler who frantic too much upon negatives rather than positives - but he looked no closer to finding the right of entry.
Herath started to have some fun after lunch, including reverse-sweeping Moeen, as he brought happening his half-century from 87 balls. He was dropped upon 46 following James Vince spilled a skier dealing out benefit from lid but eventually fell playing apropos a full delivery from Anderson who in addition to supplementary Shaminda Eranga by knocking lead the off stump to sworn confirmation his fifth wicket.
The last-wicket pair, Suranga Lakmal and Pradeep, had a bit of a swap as they late accretion a growth 22 runs in the previously Lakmal intensity-edged to mid-upon to find the money for Woakes his second wicket. England's bowlers will be grateful for the longer fracture to the front the precise Test at Lord's.
The chase was a largely serene affair when Alex Hales, bowled bearing in mind playing in the sense to Siriwardana's left-arm spin, the unaided casualty. Nick Compton stayed once Cook to knock off the intend, a tiny boost to his confidence after two first-innings failures in the series, and he was named as the portion of an unchanged squad for the unqualified Test. So it was job curtains for England, this epoch later than one hour of daylight to spare but even though the series has subsequent to Sri Lanka will head south to slightly warmer climes - and a traditionally fine batting wicket at Lord's if the sun shines - bearing in mind self-be crazy more or less restored.
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