Sri Lanka's Strong Position

England are clinging to the "belief" that they can still overcome Sri Lanka in the final Test, but assistant coach Paul Collingwood acknowledged that winning from their current position would be an enormous challenge.

As day three concluded, Sri Lanka stood at 94-1, requiring only 125 more runs to chase down the target of 219 and achieve a remarkable victory.

Though England have already clinched the series with a 2-0 lead, their performance at The Oval has been far from their best. On Sunday, they collapsed to 156 all out in their second innings, taking just 34 overs—making it their shortest Test innings in over three years.

Collingwood remained optimistic, emphasising that the team has shown its ability to achieve extraordinary things in the past. He expressed confidence, saying they must maintain their belief that a turnaround is possible, and described the situation as an "exciting opportunity" to do something special.

England are currently enjoying a streak of five consecutive Test wins and are aiming for their first perfect home summer in two decades. However, missed opportunities have plagued their performance at The Oval. After reaching 261-3 in their first innings, England were quickly dismissed for 325.

On the third morning, England managed to take the final five Sri Lankan wickets for just 52 runs, giving them a slim first-innings lead of 62. Yet, instead of putting the match beyond Sri Lanka’s reach, England faltered, falling to 82-7 before Jamie Smith’s explosive 67 helped set a more competitive target. Still, Sri Lanka’s fast start to their run chase leaves them as favourites heading into day four.

Collingwood admitted that England will need an exceptional performance to win from this point. He highlighted that there remains belief in the dressing room, even though they face a tough task. He pointed out that the team focuses on opportunities rather than setbacks, and that their optimism has often led to surprising success on the field. England, he said, has dug themselves out of difficult situations before thanks to the talent within the squad.

This summer's success comes after England vowed to fine-tune their aggressive "Bazball" style, introduced under head coach Brendon McCullum. However, their batting and fielding choices at The Oval have faced criticism. Former captain Alastair Cook suggested the team had become complacent, while ex-skipper Michael Vaughan warned them against treating Test cricket lightly.

Despite these concerns, Collingwood—who played 68 Tests for England—remains hopeful that his side can pull off a dramatic victory.