Atkinson to Kusal Mendis, no run, full and sliding down leg, starts with a real loosner

Right then, all set to get started. Gus Atkinson will begin proceedings. Three slips in place

10:30 Local Time, 09:30 GMT, 15:00 IST: I’ve just heard that it’s a cold, dark and windy morning at The Oval. It’s very overcast but the important thing is that there isn’t any rain expected. We’ve got a game with the odds tilted firmly in Sri Lanka’s favour but with them needing another 125 to win, there’s a bit of cricket to be played and there’s no doubt that every England player will take the field today truly believing they still have a good chance of winning themselves. Conditions will favour their seamers and they’ve got to get it absolutely spot on right from the outset for there to be any chance. For all the talk of England scoring quickly, Sri Lanka have actually went around and gave them a taste of their own medicine as they scored at 6.27 an over last evening. That was largely thanks to Pathum Nissanka who remains unbeaten on 53 off just 44 and England will need to get rid of him in particular quite quickly.

As Nasser Hussain mentioned on air, tomorrow the forecast is for cloudy conditions and that should help the seamers. England would have had the night to regroup and come up with renewed energy for one last tilt in the series. But for now Sri Lanka are heavy favorites to win this game. Set up nicely, isn't it? We will be back tomorrow for all the action. Do join us then. For now it's bye bye.

And it's stumps. Confirmed now. Excellent day for Sri Lanka and they have a great chance to win another Test in England and end the series on a high. Set up by their bowlers with Vishwa and Kumara leading the way. Earlier on today, Sri Lanka did not bat well as they went from 220/5 to be bowled out for 263, conceding a lead of 62. England immediately were rocked though as they slipped to 82/7 through a combination of good bowling and poor batting. And that's where Jamie Smith came into the picture, he batted superbly as he attacked and got boundaries at will. But just when he had Sri Lanka on the ropes he got out to what was the last ball before tea. The last two wickets after that did not last long and Sri Lanka were set 218 to win. Nissanka feasted on some loose stuff as he played his shots and did not let a loose ball go, Kusal Mendis too adopted the same strategy as he used his feet to the pacers. In what was the last over of the day, Bashir ripped one out of the footmarks which should encourage him and England.

18:44 Local Time, 17:44 GMT, 23:14 IST: Pope says he will bowl seam. The umps take the bails off. Looks like that will be stumps. It's not officially but if they are not back on by 7pm then that will be it. Woakes has a word with Gaffaney as the players walk off. Kusal Mendis smiles as he chats with Nissanka. DdS and Sanath Jayasuriya look content. Nasser on air says the forecast for tomorrow is cloudy skies but no rain.

Bashir to Nissanka, no run, flat good length outside off, turned to short-leg

Bashir to Kusal Mendis, 1 run, tossed up outside off, swept to deep square leg

Bashir to Kusal Mendis, no run, there is that rough! Rips wickedly from outside off and raps Kusal Mendis on the glove, he was making room to cut and it turned and bounced at him, rapped on the left glove and down it goes

Bashir to Nissanka, 1 run, short outside off, pulled hard to deep square leg again

Bashir to Kusal Mendis, 1 run, short at Kusal Mendis who pulls to deep square leg

Short-leg moves to legslip.

Bashir to Kusal Mendis, FOUR, tossed up outside off, Kusal Mendis smashes the sweep hard to the deep square leg fence

Shoaib Bashir, right-arm off break, comes into the attack

Lights on. Rain coming down. Umpire Gaffaney has a word with Pope and places the lightmeter on top of the stumps. And on comes Bashir as the light is not good enough for a pacer. Can see clear blue sky in one part of the ground. And dark clouds on the other side. Slip and a short-leg in.

Josh Hull to Nissanka, FOUR, 50 for Nissanka. 50 in both innings. Full and wide outside off, he plays an ODI shot, lofting over mid-off

Josh Hull to Nissanka, no run, ooh! Nissanka is rapped on the right glove, swings back in and raps the back elbow after brushing the glove, hits the back leg and rolls away, that was a good delivery

Josh Hull to Nissanka, 2 runs, short of length on middle, nudged wide of deep backward square leg and quick running gives them two

Josh Hull to Nissanka, no run, 81mph, short delivery outside off, Nissanka pulls and misses, flies to Jamie Smith who leaps to collect

Josh Hull to Nissanka, no run, 83mph, length delivery on off, defended towards gully