ENG vs SL, 3rd Test: Ollie Pope's historic ton, Ben Duckett's 86 keep England in good stead at 221/3 on opening day against Sri Lanka

Stand-in captain Ollie Pope responded to his critics with a brilliant century on the truncated first day of England's third Test against Sri Lanka at The Kia Oval. Despite struggling to find his rhythm in the previous two Tests, Pope found his touch on his home ground, scoring an unbeaten 103. With this Pope became first batter in history to score his first seven Test hundreds against different opposition.

Ollie Pope silences critics with century in 3rd Test

Ollie Pope's Centuries In Test Cricket:

135* vs South Africa
145 vs New Zealand
108 vs Pakistan
205 vs Ireland
196 vs India
121 vs West Indies
103* vs Sri Lanka

Pope's century led England to a strong position of 221-3, which was particularly impressive considering they had lost the toss and were asked to bat in conditions that favored bowling. Despite the gloomy weather and interruptions due to bad light and rain, Sri Lanka failed to capitalise on the opportunities presented. Pope shared a valuable 95-run partnership for the second wicket with Ben Duckett, who played some stunning shots in his 86-run innings from just 79 balls. Although Joe Root contributed only 13 runs in the third-wicket partnership of 51, Pope's century ensured England's dominance. Despite the possibility of extending play, the fading light made it challenging to continue. The players were eventually taken off the field at 17:54, one delivery into the 45th over. England, already leading the series 2-0, is aiming for a second consecutive series clean sweep and their first 100% home summer in 20 years.

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England dominate Sri Lanka on Day 1 in 3rd Test

Sri Lanka's previous visit to The Oval in 1998 resulted in one of their greatest Test victories, thanks to Muttiah Muralitharan's exceptional performance. However, their current tour has been far less successful, culminating in a series defeat. Despite fielding four frontline seamers, Sri Lanka struggled to bowl effectively and made several fielding errors. The match was marred by delays due to poor light, reigniting the debate about the reluctance to play Test cricket in such conditions. Despite the interruptions, England maintained a steady scoring rate, averaging nearly a run per ball in the morning session.

The gloomy weather and intermittent rain forced the players off the field for nearly three hours. However, the break did little to disrupt England's momentum. Duckett continued his aggressive batting, while Pope found his rhythm and joined him in a solid partnership. The crowd warmly applauded Pope when he reached his century, recognizing the scrutiny he has faced. The batters appeared comfortable throughout the day, and the joy turned to boos when the players were forced off the field for a second and final time due to fading light.

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