[Watch] Chris Woakes takes a smart diving catch off his own bowling on Day 3 of 3rd ENG vs SL 2024 Test
England pacer Chris Woakes took a smart diving catch to break Sri Lanka's opening stand on Day 3 of the third Test at The Oval. He dismissed the 35-year-old Dimuth Karunraratne, who might have played his last Test innings on English soil.
The dismissal occurred in the seventh over of Sri Lanka's second innings as Karunaratne looked to turn one through the off-side, but got an inside edge onto the pad. As a result, the ball looped in front of Woakes, who dived forward to catch it. Nevertheless, the celebrations from the Warwickshire seamer were subdued.
Here is a video of the dismissal:
Karunaratne was out for a single-figure score even in the first innings as Olly Stone ran him out for 8.
Sri Lanka began the day on 211/5, with Kamindu Mendis and Dhananjaya de Silva batting, trailing England by 114 runs. However, they were bowled out for 263, with the hosts gaining a 62-run lead.
Chris Woakes registers a duck as England suffer another batting collapse
Woakes, meanwhile, perished for a six-ball duck. England had notably collapsed from 66-3 to 70-6 at one stage. Jamie Smith's counter-attacking 50-ball 67 saved the hosts' blushes. England were eventually bowled out for 156, setting their opposition a modest yet tricky 219-run target.
Ollie Pope and company suffered a similar batting collapse in their first innings, going from 221/3 to 325 all out.
Meanwhile, Sri Lanka are on track to chase down 219 despite Dimuth Karunaratne's dismissal, finishing the day on 94/1 in 15 overs.
Pathum Nissanka, who scored a brisk 64 in the first innings, is unbeaten on 53 off 44 deliveries, having hit seven boundaries. On the other hand, Kusal Mendis is batting on 30 off 25 balls with the aid of six boundaries.