ENG vs SL 2nd Test 2024: Match Preview, Head to Heads, Playing 11, Pitch Report, and Live Streaming Details
The second Test of the series between England and Sri Lanka will be held at the iconic Lord’s Cricket Ground in London. England is currently leading the series 1-0 after a hard-fought victory in the first Test at Old Trafford, Manchester, where they chased down 205 runs with five wickets to spare. Sri Lanka will be keen to bounce back and level the series, making this match crucial for both teams.
ENG vs SL 2nd Test 2024: Match Details
Date: Thursday, August 29, 2024 – Monday, September 2, 2024
Time: 3:30 PM IST / 10:00 AM GMT / 11:00 AM Local
Venue: Lord’s, London
ENG vs SL 2nd Test 2024: Head-to-Head
England and Sri Lanka have faced each other in numerous Test matches over the years, creating a competitive rivalry. In their most recent encounter at Old Trafford, Manchester, England emerged victorious by 5 wickets. This win continued England’s strong form against Sri Lanka, following a series of wins both at home and away. In January 2021, England secured a 2-0 series win in Sri Lanka, claiming victories by 6 wickets and 7 wickets, respectively, in Galle. Similarly, in November 2018, England achieved a clean sweep with a 3-0 series win in Sri Lanka, showcasing their dominance with victories in Galle, Pallekele, and Colombo.
Looking further back, the 2016 series in England saw the hosts winning 2-0, including a notable innings and 88 runs victory at Leeds. However, Sri Lanka has had its moments of triumph as well, particularly notable with a 100-run victory at Leeds in June 2014 and a famous innings and 215-run win in Colombo in December 2003. Historically, England has generally held the upper hand, often leveraging their home conditions to secure wins, but Sri Lanka has proven competitive, especially in their home conditions.
In terms of series results, England has won the majority of the series contested between the two sides. England’s most dominant performance in recent years came during the 2018/19 tour of Sri Lanka, where they won 3-0. In contrast, Sri Lanka’s most recent series win in England was in 2014, where they won the series 1-0 in a closely contested two-match series. Overall, the rivalry has seen both teams exchanging victories, with England holding a significant edge in terms of overall matches and series wins.
Eng vs SL 2nd Test 2024: Squad news
England
For England, the batting lineup looks stable with consistent contributions from Jamie Smith and Joe Root. However, the top order, especially Ben Duckett and Ollie Pope, could be under scrutiny after failing to provide solid starts. England might consider bringing in Jordan Cox to strengthen the middle order, especially if they want to add more depth to their batting. The bowling department performed reasonably well, with Chris Woakes and Matthew Potts being the standout performers. However, Olly Stone could be considered if England wants to add more pace to their attack, possibly in place of Mark Wood or Matthew Potts, depending on fitness and pitch conditions.
Sri Lanka
For Sri Lanka, the top order struggled in both innings, with only Dimuth Karunaratne and Kamindu Mendis making significant contributions. Sri Lanka may consider bringing in Pathum Nissanka or Sadeera Samarawickrama to strengthen their batting lineup. Angelo Mathews’ form remains a concern, but his experience might keep him on the side.
On the bowling front, Prabath Jayasuriya and Asitha Fernando were among the wickets, but the Sri Lankan attack lacked penetration at times. They might consider including Lahiru Kumara or Kasun Rajitha to add more variety and pace to their attack, potentially replacing Milan Priyanath Rathnayake or Vishwa Fernando, depending on the pitch conditions at the next venue.
ENG vs SL 2nd Test 2024: Possible Playing Eleven
England
Ben Duckett, Daniel Lawrence, Ollie Pope (C), Joe Root, Harry Brook, Jamie Smith (Wk), Chris Woakes, Gus Atkinson, Matthew Potts, Olly Stone, Shoaib Bashir.
Sri Lanka
Dimuth Karunaratne, Nishan Madushka, Kusal Mendis, Angelo Mathews, Dinesh Chandimal (Wk), Dhananjaya de Silva (C), Kamindu Mendis, Prabath Jayasuriya, Asitha Fernando, Vishwa Fernando, Priyanath Rathnayake.
ENG vs SL 2nd Test 2024: Pitch Report and Weather Conditions
The pitch at Lord’s Cricket Ground in London is known for favoring bowlers, particularly pacers. Over the last five years, it has consistently been a challenging surface for batsmen, with an average of only 201 runs per inning. The surface provides a good amount of bounce and movement, making it an ideal hunting ground for fast bowlers. Out of the 143 total wickets taken in this period, a significant 122 were by pacers, highlighting the assistance the pitch provides to fast bowlers. Spinners, on the other hand, have found it tough, taking only 21 wickets over the same time frame.
With overcast conditions forecasted, the pitch is likely to offer even more assistance to seam bowlers. The moisture in the air and cloud cover can enhance swing and seam movement, making batting a challenging proposition, especially in the early stages of the match.
Historically, in the last five years, teams winning the toss have opted to bowl first 66% of the time, understanding the benefits of utilizing the fresh pitch and conducive conditions for seam bowling. This strategy has paid off, as teams bowling first have won 50% of the matches, underscoring the advantage of exploiting the early conditions at Lord’s.
England has had success on this ground in recent years, winning 2 out of their last 2 matches against Sri Lanka at Lord’s. Sri Lanka has struggled to adapt to the conditions here, with no wins in their recent encounters at this venue.
ENG vs SL 2nd Test 2024: LIVE Telecast and LIVE Streaming Details
Where to Watch ENG vs SL 2nd Test 2024 in India?
Fans in India can watch the game on Sony Sports Network.
