Intelligent Buttler puts England in commanding position

TOM EDWARDS: Jos Buttler continued to show just how important he has become to England’s Test side as he scored a vitally important 64 to help England to 230, and post a potentially match-winning lead of 326.

Colombo (day three of five): England 336 & 230, Sri Lanka 240 & 53-4 — Sri Lanka trail by 273 runs with 6 second-innings wickets remaining

Jos Buttler continued to show just how important he has become over the past six months to England’s Test side as he scored an intelligent, and vitally important 64 to help England to 230, and post a potentially match-winning lead of 326.

With England looking in grave trouble at 39-4, Buttler set about taking the Sri Lanka bowlers on, regularly advancing up the pitch to throw them off their length.

It was an innings characterised by well-timed, and well-thought-out positivity, and he got to 50 off just 59 balls. He received good support from Ben Stokes, and the pair put on an invaluable 89-run partnership, of which the Lancashire batsman scored 45.

Four late wickets, including those of Dimuth Karunaratne and Angelo Mathews, from Moeen Ali, Jack Leach and Ben Stokes then put England in an even more commanding position. It leaves Sri Lanka on the verge of defeat, and England on the verge of sealing a 3-0 series victory.

^{Jos Buttler scored a vital 64}

The day could not have got off to a worse start for England as Keaton Jennings was dismissed with the first ball of the day, given out LBW off the bowling of Dilruwan Perera for 1.

His partner Rory Burns suffered the same fate exactly six overs later. The Surrey opener walked off having scored just 7, looking incensed with himself after missing a simple straight half-volley.

This bad start quickly turned into a very bad start when the hero of the first innings Jonny Bairstow became Perera’s third victim thanks to a fantastic catch at short leg by Kaushal Silva. Perera was the standout bowler for Sri Lanka throughout the innings, and would eventually get a well-deserved five wickets.

Things got even worse for England when they were reduced to 39-4 inside the 14th over after captain Joe Root was caught and bowled by Malinda Pushpakumara. It was another smart catch as the spinner dived low to his left to snaffle a leading edge from Root.

^{Dilruwan Perera finished with figures of 5-88}

Sri Lanka could smell blood, but a combination of good batting and avoidable mistakes meant they failed to break through the partnership of Buttler and Stokes quickly, but did provide some compelling cricket.

First, Buttler was given out LBW on 27, a decision which was overturned on review after replays showed the ball was going over the stumps. Then, eight balls later Stokes hit a tame shot straight to cover but was called back after replays showed Sandakan had overstepped.

Stokes followed this up four overs later with an edge to slip but, once again, none of Sandakan’s front foot was behind the line and he was called back on the eve of lunch.

The Durham allrounder was eventually dismissed after lunch for a very useful 42 when he was caught a third time and Pushpakumara had not overstepped.

^{Ben Stokes was called back twice because of front-foot no-balls}

Buttler ploughed on though, going past 50 not long after and putting on another good partnership of 40 with Ali.

His positive intent would eventually prove his downfall as Sandakan seemingly saw him coming up the crease and pushed the ball down the legside, allowing Dickwella to affect the stumping. Buttler departed with England 168-6, having been on 39-4 when he came to the crease.

With a lead of only 264, England were by no means out of the woods, and when Ali was caught behind on 22 in the next over having added only three more runs to the score, things were beginning to look shaky again.

However, Ben Foakes marshalled the lower order with help from Adil Rashid, and took England past tea without losing another wicket.

By the time Rashid, Stuart Broad and then finally Leach were dismissed, England had made it 230, leaving Sri Lanka a target 327 (the highest-ever run chase at Colombo).

The hosts followed this up with an abysmal start to their second innings, as they lost four wickets before the weather rolled in, leaving them with a great deal to do if they are to win this Test.