Going into the match England were unchanged, whilst Sri Lanka made two changes – Roshen Silva coming in for the injured captain Dinesh Chandimal, whilst Malinda Pushpakumara replaced the now retired Rangana Herath.
It was England who won the toss and batted first in Kandy, but the first morning was not a success for them as they lost 4 wickets in the morning session, with Keaton Jennings the first to fall caught behind off the stand-in captain Suranga Lakmal for just a single.
Rory Burns looked to be the best English batsman in the top order in form, but he was caught at slip off Dhananjaya de Silva for 43, as England slumped to 89 – 4. Jos Buttler and Moeen Ali survived to lunch with no further alarms, but the morning spoils belonged to Sri Lanka.
The afternoon session largely belonged to Sri Lanka as well, despite Jos Buttler hitting 63. Having, he played one reverse sweep too many and was caught off the bowling of Pushpakumara to leave his side 171 – 7. However, Sam Curran and Adil Rashid added 41 for the 8th wicket, as England reached tea without further loss. After tea, Rashid fell for 31, and with England 225 -9, they looked to be on the verge of being bowled out cheaply.
However, Curran then counter-attacked brilliantly, and, aided by some poor bowling, he launched a one-man assault on the Sri Lankan bowlers, hitting 6 sixes and a four, as he shared a last wicket partnership of 60 with James Anderson. He finally fell for 64, but his innings had transformed the score so much that England’s final total of 285 all out was a respectable one.
In reply Sri Lanka closed at 26 -1 losing Kaushal Silva bowled by Jack Leach for 6.
Resuming next morning night-watchman Pashpakumara soon departed, caught at mid-wicket off the bowling of Moeen Ali for 4, but Karunaratne and de Silva looked to seize control with a partnership of 96, before two moments of brilliance from Ben Stokes held England seize the initiative back. First he ran out Karunaratne for 63 with a laser-guided throw, and then he took a superb slip catch to dismiss Kusal Mendis off the bowling of Leach. When Rashid then had de Silva caught behind for 59, and then had Angelo Mathews out in similar fashion to leave Sri Lanka 165 – 6.
However, much as with the England innings, the Sri Lankan tail wagged with partnerships of 46, 41, 56, and 28, which took them into the lead, led by an excellent 85 from Roshen Silva, ably supported by Dananjaya with 31, Dickwella who scored 25, and Perera and Lakmal, both of whom added 15. It meant that when Sri Lanka were all out for 336, they had built a first innings lead of 46, with England surviving one over without scoring overnight.
On the third day England lost night watchman Leach early, one of seven English batsmen to fall to the sweep shot.
However, captain Joe Root came in and scored his 15th test century, and one of the most valuable for his side, supported by Buttler who scored 34, and then Ali who made 10. Root was out sweeping for 124, but Ben Foakes added late runs as bad light ended play early with England 324 for 9 overnight.
A further 22 valuable runs was then added on Saturday morning before Anderson was last man out for 12, as England were bowled out for 346. Foakes was undefeated on 65. Burns and Jennings added 73, and then Jennings became the first of Dananjaya’s six victims out for 26. Burns reached his maiden test half-century, but when he fell and Stokes was out for a duck, England were struggling at 109 – 4.
In reply, Sri Lanka got off to a terrible start, losing three wickets to the bowling of Jack Leach early, aided by some superb catching by the likes of Foakes and Jennings. Karunaratne and Mathews then shared a stand of 77, and, when Karunaratne was caught behind off the bowling of Rashid for 57, Mathews combined with Roshen Silva to out the pressure back on England.
Silva was eventually caught by Root for 37, Ali the bowler, but with Dickwella joining Mathews at the crease, the match was edging the home side’s way, when Mathews was lbw to Ali for 88. When Leach claimed the wicket of Perera for his 4th victim of the day, the match was in the balance when bad light brought an early end to proceedings. With one day to go, Sri Lanka still needed 75 to win, with three wickets still standing.
The end though came quickly on the final morning, with Ali removing Dickwella for 35, and then his captain Lakmal two balls later. And it was left to Leach to wrap matters up taking the wicket of Pushpakumara to claim his first 5-wicket haul in tests, finishing with 5 – 83. Ali meanwhile took 4 – 72.
Joe Root’s century earned him the man of the match award.