Sri Lanka He scored a historic victory against England in the third and final Test at The Kennington OvalChasing 219 runs to secure their first Test victory over England in a decade by 8 wickets. Although the series ended 2-1 in favor of England, Sri Lanka’s resounding victory in the final match left an indelible mark on the series and gave the team a much-needed morale boost.
The historic Oval victory of 1998
Sanath JayasuriyaSri Lanka’s caretaker coach and former cricket legend was brimming with pride as he addressed the post-match presentation. Reflecting on the hard-fought victory, he couldn’t help but compare it to another iconic moment in Sri Lankan cricket: the famous Test win in 1998 in which he starred at The Oval. A question to Jayasuriya about the 1998 win brought back a wave of nostalgia, especially as the former captain scored a double century in that match.
Jayasuriya recalled the memorable win at The Oval 27 years ago Arjuna Ranatunga led the team Muthiah Muralidaran Scored 16, he scored a double century and Aravinda de Silva He did 150.
“About 27 years ago, we won here under Arjuna Ranatunga. Murali (Muthiah Muralidaran) took about 16 wickets, I took two hundreds, Aravinda (de Silva) 150, it’s a place we’ll never forget – The Oval,” Jayasuriya remembered fondly
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Recreating history
While the 1998 victory is etched in Sri Lankan cricketing folklore, Jayasuriya was quick to distinguish between the two triumphs, highlighting the unique challenges facing the current team in 2024.
The former cricketer later admitted that the team played in difficult conditions with grass, cold weather and cloudy skies. He praised the fielders for their performance and the batsmen for stepping up in the second innings.
“But these guys were playing in different conditions overall, it was tough conditions, the grass and the weather and everything was cloudy and cold. All thanks to these guys. The fielders fielded well and the batsmen took charge in the second innings,Jayasuriya noted.
Jayasuriya praised the team’s decision to go for a fast-bowling-heavy attack, a bold move that paid off well given the tough English conditions.
“It was the first time we went with four fast bowlers and we went with the conditions here and they all went over 100% in their efforts,” he said.
The former player could not contain his admiration for the team’s disciplined approach, especially when they beat England by a narrow margin in the second innings.
“Our second innings bowling was remarkable – they stuck to the plan and bowled them out for 35 under, just over 150. said the lefty.
Comparing the two Oval victories, Jayasuriya’s message was clear: while the 1998 victory was a personal and national milestone, the 2024 triumph is a testament to the evolution of Sri Lankan cricket and the ability of this new generation to overcome tough conditions in foreign competitions. soil.
