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England defeated Sri Lanka by six wickets in the second Test at Galle International Stadium to complete a clean sweep in the 2-match series.
This is a second time that an English team has registered a whitewash in Sri Lanka. They did the same in 2018, under Joe Root’s captaincy. Additionally, it is the first time in more than 100 years that England have won five consecutive Tests overseas.
With the victory in the final Test, England became the first visiting side to win six consecutive Test matches in Sri Lanka since winning the Galle Test in April 2012.
Most wins at Galle by a visiting side:
- 3 – England
- 2 – India/Australia/Pakistan
In the match, Jack Leach and Dom Bess picked up four wickets each to dominate the Islanders in the afternoon session after the hosts began their second innings early with a lead of 37 on Day 4.
Number 10 batsman Lasith Embuldeniya top-scored with 40, after his seven wickets, which helped pack England’s first innings 344. The left-hander was the only batsman to score higher than 20 runs as Sri Lanka collapsed from 29/1 to 126/10 in their second innings.
Embuldeniya showed resistance by adding 48 runs for the ninth wicket with Suranga Lakmal, who made 11 not out before England skipper Joe Root took the final two wickets.
England received the target of 164 runs to win the match which they reached in 43.3 overs, thanks to crucial contributions from Dom Sibley (56 no), Jonny Bairstow (29) and Jos Buttler (46 no). Embuldeniya bagged three more scalps to complete 10-wickets in the match.
Earlier, Root smashed 19th Test ton of his glorious career and second of this series. He scored 186 off 309 balls with the help of 18 boundaries. Apart from Root, veteran pacer James Anderson shined with the ball in the first innings, bagging his 30th fifer in the longest format.
Here is how Twitter reacted:
Now that is a PROPER Test match Win … !!! This team are developing the right character which you absolutely need to Win big series … !! 👍👍 #SLvENG #OnOn
— Michael Vaughan (@MichaelVaughan) January 25, 2021
In 12 hits since the start of the 2020 summer – when many thought his Test career was close to finished – Jos Buttler is averaging 55. That was a beaut of an innings. #SLvENG
— Adam Collins (@collinsadam) January 25, 2021
6 Anderson
3 Wood
1 Curran
—
4 Bess
4 Leach
2 RootFirst time in 143 years history of Test cricket that fast bowlers have taken 10 wickets in one innings and spinners have 10 in the other innings. #SLvEng
— Mazher Arshad (@MazherArshad) January 25, 2021
Maiden 10-wicket haul in a Test match for Lasith Embuldeniya. He has been brilliant. Looking at how England are finding it hard to play left-arm orthodox spinner won’t be surprised if Axar Patel makes his debut at Chepauk. Any thoughts? #SLvENG
— Sarang Bhalerao (@bhaleraosarang) January 25, 2021
YES LADS! 🦁 🦁 🦁
We win the second Test by six wickets and the series 2-0 😍
Scorecard: https://t.co/g6a0fiVGdp#SLvENG pic.twitter.com/roICVgyZI3
— England Cricket (@englandcricket) January 25, 2021
Embuldeniya v Crawley series head-to-head:
39 balls
12 runs
4 wickets
3.00 average#SLvEng— The CricViz Analyst (@cricvizanalyst) January 25, 2021
This has been an excellent innings from Dom Sibley. Still has questions to answer against spin but a couple of technical adjustments have helped him and he’s played with a clear plan. Good stuff. #SLvENG
— Rob Johnston (@RobJ_Cricket) January 25, 2021
England win! 🙌🙌🙌
Joe Root's side claim a 2 – 0 series win over Sri Lanka, with more remarkable performances from the Yorkshire trio 😍#SLvENG #OneRose pic.twitter.com/WuzxLfefI3
— Yorkshire CCC (@YorkshireCCC) January 25, 2021
For the first time in this series #SLvEng #SLvsENG2021, Lasith Embuldeniya was unable to get the wickets of both the English openers.
Dom Sibley by remaining not out in the second innings has denied him this honour.— Mohandas Menon (@mohanstatsman) January 25, 2021
2-0 England. The series is all set up now. India v England. The perfect build up.
— Boria Majumdar (@BoriaMajumdar) January 25, 2021
England gain two rating points in the @MRFWorldwide ICC Test Team Rankings after the conclusion of the #SLvENG series 👇 pic.twitter.com/I02hpazHWz
— ICC (@ICC) January 25, 2021
Congratulations @englandcricket on wrapping up a 2-0 series win! 👏
What a Test these two have had 🔥
🌹 #RedRoseTogether pic.twitter.com/0oHT5UxM9i
— Lancashire Cricket (@lancscricket) January 25, 2021
Joe Root as Test captain in Sri Lanka:
Won
Won
Won
Won
Won pic.twitter.com/nJCseKff3S— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) January 25, 2021
Sri Lanka in Tests at Home since 2017
v Bangladesh
Won, Lostv Zimbabwe
Wonv India
Lost, Lost, Lostv South Africa
Won, Wonv England
Lost, Lost, Lostv New Zealand
Won, Lostv England
Lost, Lost— Cricketopia (@CricketopiaCom) January 25, 2021
Sri Lankan cricket is not in a brilliant way but for England to win 5 consecutive Tests there over 3 years is a fantastic achievement.
— Tim Wigmore (@timwig) January 25, 2021
Outstanding series win for England. Similar to India in Aus they lost the toss on both occasions and still went on to win the series 2-0. Not easy doing this in Asia. Its happened only 11 times in the last 10 years. Kudos to these guys. England India could be a competitive series
— Gaurav Sundararaman (@gaurav_sundar) January 25, 2021