Alastair Cook scored his third century in four Test innings but England had to settle for a draw in the second match of their series against Sri Lanka at Lord's here yesterday
Alastair Cook scored his third century in four Test innings but England had to settle for a draw in the second match of their series against Sri Lanka at Lord's here yesterday. Sri Lanka, set an imposing victory target of 343, finished on 127 for three with 15 overs left on the fifth and final day ufffd the earliest the sides could agree a draw. This result left England 1-0 up heading into the third and final Test starting at the Rose Bowl on June 16.
The highest score ever made in the fourth innings to win a Test at Lord's is 344 for one, needing 342, by the West Indies against England in 1984. There was never a realistic chance of Sri Lanka reaching a similar target, with the more immediate question whether they could avoid losing all 10 wickets in the 58 overs left when their second innings started.
Sri Lanka had, after all, been routed for just 82 in under 25 overs in Cardiff as England won the first Test by an innings and 14 runs. But, on a typically good Lord's pitch, they held out with England frustrated as much by the 63 overs lost in the match to bad weather.
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