Player of the Match
Player of the Match

END OF OVER:
90 | (wicket maiden) | SL: 201/9

  • Nuwan Pradeep0 (5b)
  • Shaminda Eranga0 (6b)
  • Stuart Broad21-9-43-3
  • James Anderson19-10-25-4

7.15pm: This was a Test match with a gloriously full colour palette. From Root's double-hundred, via the sumptuous batting of Kumar Sangakkara and Angelo Mathews' brio to join him on the honours board; to Shaminda Eranga and Rangana Herath bowling wonderfully on the fourth afternoon, followed by Gary Ballance's maiden hundred; then the final-day drama, James Anderson's spell and the climactic rearguard. You might argue that, in the end, the pitch was unconquerable... but you can't win 'em all. David Hopps' report should be your next stop in piecing together the fragments of a barmy last hour and we'll have plenty more up on the site soon. Join us on Friday for the Headingley Test, when we'll do it all again. From Alex and me, Cheerio!

7.05pm: Settle down, settle down... It's time for the presentations. Sri Lanka captain Angelo Mathews: "It was a close game, I thought England bowled really well, they were asking questions of our batsmen. At tea time we thought it was safe but you can't really relax - that's a lesson learned. Kumar has played some tremendous knocks, he was feeling comfortable but as soon as he got out we were under pressure. We've got lots of positives, the two fast bowlers performed well. We've got the skill we just have to go and play good cricket. It was a great team effort, especially at the end, trying to survive. The spirit is there."

England captain Alastair Cook: "I didn't move, I could hear the noise [when Pradeep was given out], could have been two pads... I can't praise the lads enough, it was a flat wicket, we wanted to wait for the ball to reverse swing and Jimmy produced a fantastic spell. To get that close and not win is incredibly frustrating. With the team we're selecting, we haven't got a frotnline spinner and this is the way we've got to go. When you're trying to set the game up, you lose a few wickets - Gary played brilliantly to get us up there but those wickets cost us a half-hour at them. We were a bit behind [on the overs] which isn't ideal. Big hundreds are what we want, Rooty got a double. Lots of credit to the guys but disappointment we couldn't get over the line."

Joe Root is named Man of the Match for his first-innings 200 not out: "It was exciting, 12 months ago we were told we were playing dour cricket, I don't think anyone can say that now. It's been a great start to the Test summer. We spoke about going on and making big scores. It was disappointing to be left out [in Sydney] but I made sure I proved a point and I want to continue. I hope so [at No5]. It was a fantastic effort from Gary, cool head with wickets falling and he played really well."

6.50pm: Ohmygodwhathappenedthere? This match was heckled throughout for being a dry, rather dusty affair but the whole structure nearly collapsed in spectacular fashion at the end... The only dust now settling is from the rubble. England needed two wickets going into that final over and Rangana Herath presented one wrapped in a bow when he walked off without reviewing, though his hand was off the bat when he gloved Broad through to the keeper. Paul Reiffel then served up England another gift with a poor lbw call, only for DRS to ride to the rescue on this occasion. In all, England managed six wickets in that final session but, crucially, they were left one short. It took a long while to come to the boil but that was a cracking finale and both teams will head to Headingley with appetites whetted and the score 0-0. In terms of entertainment, that declaration was perfectly timed, wouldn't you say?

89.6
0
Broad to Pradeep, no run, edged... but taken on the bounce by second slip! Jordan clasped his hands around it but he knew it hadn't carried, heads were thrown back, Pradeep and Eranga can celebrate, they have seen Sri Lanka home to a (unexpectedly magnificent) draw

One last crack for Broad... The crowd give him the build-up as he approaches the crease

89.5
0
Broad to Pradeep, no run, good length, nipping back in to strike the pad - it's given straight away but Pradeep reviews! England explode in celebration but the batsman knows he has hit this, the replays quickly confirm it, inside edge on to his front pad... Reiffel has to overturn the decision and Sri Lanka survive another delivery
89.4
0
Broad to Pradeep, no run, pitched up, around off stump, Pradeep reaches forward and prods low straight to point
89.3
0
Broad to Pradeep, no run, back of a length outside off, this rises steeply but Pradeep follows it, he's is fractions from steering through to Prior - the ball actually swung after passing the batsman and made it look like a deflection
89.2
0
Broad to Pradeep, no run, slammed in short and at the batsman, perhaps remembering his comedy dismissal from the first innings, this time he avoids it safely enough

It is all going off, make no mistake, Sri Lanka are clinging to the precipice by their pinkies - Nuwan Pradeep into the cauldron

89.1
W
Broad to Herath, OUT, goes for the bouncer and it's sliding to leg, Herath got some glove on it... and he walks! Prior took the catch tumbling to his right, Reiffel nods and raises a finger but - wait for it - replays show Herath had removed his hand from the bat handle before contact was made! Why did Herath not review?! He wasn't out but he is out and now England only require one more wicket to complete a sensational win!

HMRKB Herath c †Prior b Broad 1 (27m 14b 0x4 0x6) SR: 7.14

Stuart Broad will be the man to bowl the last six balls... Everyone around the bat

END OF OVER:
89 | (maiden) | SL: 201/8

  • Shaminda Eranga0 (6b)
  • Rangana Herath1 (13b)
  • James Anderson19-10-25-4
  • Liam Plunkett16-5-39-0
88.6
0
Anderson to Eranga, no run, in the channel, this nibbles back at Eranga, who presses out to defend stoically... Good stuff from him, Anderson is no longer a factor
88.5
0
Anderson to Eranga, no run, back of a length and Eranga again does well to turn this safely earthwards through square... They're not bothering to run, cutting out the chance of a mix-up
88.4
0
Anderson to Eranga, no run, short again but better-directed, goes back and fends it wide of short leg, rolls into the wide open space at midwicket
88.3
0
Anderson to Eranga, no run, slightly back of a length, shaping in and forcing Eranga to block
88.2
0
Anderson to Eranga, no run, goes for the bouncer, very short and outside the line of off, Eranga jerks everything out of the way
88.1
0
Anderson to Eranga, no run, pitched up and veering in towards off pole, solidly blocked coming forwards by the No. 10

Anderson has 4 for 24... England desperately want him to make that five. Two overs left

END OF OVER:
88 | (maiden) | SL: 201/8

  • Rangana Herath1 (13b)
  • Shaminda Eranga0 (0b)
  • Liam Plunkett16-5-39-0
  • James Anderson18-9-25-4
87.6
0
Plunkett to Herath, no run, banged in very short and wide of the stumps, nothing doing, though it will keep Shaminda Eranga on strike for Anderson
87.5
0
Plunkett to Herath, no run, good length delivery, in the channel but Herath again doesn't need to play
87.4
0
Plunkett to Herath, no run, fiesty bumper, Herath is a short man and he doesn't have to get much lower to avoid that

"Maybe Cook told Jimmy to have Matthews hit it straight to him!" cackles Stephen

87.3
0
Plunkett to Herath, no run, length ball, fired in over the top of off, Herath lines it up in defence

Sri Lanka tour of England and Ireland 2014 News

First in class

1

Kaushal Silva is the first Sri Lanka opener to post a fifty in both innings at Lords

Lord's last dig

3

Number of times Kumar Sangakkara has now batted in the fourth innings at Lords, with a previous top score of 12. He has never batted last at any other English venue

Doubling up at Lord's

1

Number of overseas batsmen who have scored a century in both innings at Lord's - George Headley in 1939.

Fourth-innings tons

3

Number of centuries scored by SL batsmen in the 4th innings of away Tests - zero in wins. Sangakkara scored 192 while chasing 507 in Hobart

Anderson v Thirimanne

9

James Anderson has now dismissed Lahiru Thirimanne nine times in international cricket

Top of the pile

12401

Total runs scored in partnership by Mahela Jaywardene and Kumar Sangakkara when their stand reached 97 at Lord's, a new record in all international cricket