England v Sri Lanka: Third Men's Cricket Test Match, Day Four – Live

England V Sri Lanka: The Third Men's Cricket Test Match

Day Four : England Dominate Fourth Day After Sri Lanka Collapse

England have put themselves in a commanding position in the third Test against Sri Lanka after bowling out the tourists for just 135 on day four at the Kia Oval. Leading by 46 runs on first innings, Sri Lanka resumed this morning on 9 for 1, but lost nine wickets for 126 runs as England's bowlers took control.

Stuart Broad was the pick of the bowlers, taking 4 for 21, while Chris Woakes and Ollie Robinson took three wickets each. Kusal Mendis was the only Sri Lankan batsman to offer any resistance, scoring 45, but he was eventually dismissed by Woakes to leave Sri Lanka all out for 135.

England will now need just 90 runs to win the match and take a 2-0 lead in the series. The hosts will resume their second innings on day five with a lead of 136 runs.

Jonny Bairstow and Joe Root Lead England's Response

Jonny Bairstow and Joe Root came to England’s aid after the dismissal of Alex Lees early on in the day. England wobble to 20/1, but the pair dug deep and put on a 100-run partnership to steady the ship. Bairstow was the aggressor, reaching his fifty off just 42 balls. Root was more cautious, but he too eventually reached his half-century.

England will be confident of completing a victory on day five, but they will need to be wary of the threat posed by Sri Lanka's spinners. Ramesh Mendis and Prabath Jayasuriya took three wickets between them in the first innings, and they will be looking to make further inroads into England's batting lineup.

The Pitch is Still Offering Assistance to the Spinners

The pitch at the Kia Oval is still offering assistance to the spinners, and this is likely to be a factor on day five. England will need to bat carefully to avoid losing wickets to the Sri Lankan spinners.

However, England will also be confident that they can score the runs they need to win the match. They have a strong batting lineup, and they will be looking to Bairstow and Root to lead the way once again.

The third Test match between England and Sri Lanka is finely poised heading into day five. England are in a strong position, but Sri Lanka will be looking to fight back and level the series.