Sri Lanka Faces England in 2nd Test at Historic Lord's

The second Test between Sri Lanka and England is set to commence today (August 29) at the iconic Lord's Cricket Ground, often referred to as the "Home of Cricket."

Sri Lankan players head into this match with a notable absence of victories at this renowned venue. Since 1991, Sri Lanka has faced England at Lord's without securing a win but has consistently denied their opponents victory in numerous encounters.

The teams have clashed at Lord's eight times, with England claiming victory on two occasions, while the remaining matches ended in draws. Despite these draws, Sri Lanka has often emerged as the match hero in six out of eight drawn games. Notable captains like Mahela Jayawardene and Tillakaratne Dilshan have been pivotal in these heroic performances.

The historical encounters at Lord's have seen two Sri Lankan captains—Aravinda de Silva and Sanath Jayasuriya—lead the team, while England's leadership has been in the hands of Graham Gooch, Nasser Hussain, and others.
Lord's Test History:

Sri Lankan cricketers have made significant marks at Lord's, with notable performances dating back to 1984. Sidath Wettimuny's memorable century in the inaugural Test at Lord's remains a high point, as reported by The Mirror as "Wettimuny’s diamond blow to England."

Over the years, Sri Lankan players have accumulated numerous centuries at Lord's, with Mahela Jayawardene achieving two centuries (2002 and 2006). Angelo Mathews joined this elite list with his century in 2014.

Notable Centuries at Lord's:

Notable Five-Wicket Hauls at Lord's:

Historic Lord's has also seen outstanding performances with five-wicket hauls. Phil DeFreitas's exceptional seven-wicket haul in 1991 remains the best on record.

In this match, Sri Lankan team captain Dhananjaya de Silva will lead the squad against England’s captain Ollie Pope. The teams are:

Sri Lanka:

• Dhananjaya de Silva (Captain)
• Dimuth Karunaratne
• Nishan Madushka
• Pathum Nissanka
• Angelo Mathews
• Dinesh Chandimal (Wicketkeeper)
• Kamindu Mendis
• Milan Rathnayake
• Prabath Jayasuriya
• Asitha Fernando
• Lahiru Kumara

England:

• Ollie Pope (Captain)
• Dan Lawrence
• Ben Duckett
• Joe Root
• Harry Brook
• Jamie Smith (Wicketkeeper)
• Chris Woakes
• Gus Atkinson
• Matthew Potts
• Olly Stone
• Shoaib Bashir

The stage is set for another chapter in the storied history of Lord's as Sri Lanka aims to secure their first win at this legendary ground.