England vs Sri Lanka third Test prediction and cricket betting tips

Where to watch England vs Sri Lanka

Sky Sports Cricket & Main Event, 11am Friday

Best bets

England to have a first-innings opening partnership of over 29.5
3pts 10-11 bet365 

Ollie Pope to score a first-innings century
1pt 11-2 bet365, Coral, Ladbrokes

Kamindu Mendis over 58.5 performance points
2pts 5-6 bet365

England vs Sri Lanka prediction

After winning their first five Test matches against the West Indies and Sri Lanka, England are hot favourites to complete a perfect summer with victory over the Lankans at The Oval.

The tourists made England scrap for a five-wicket win at Old Trafford in the first Test before a limp performance at Lord's, where they stumbled to a 190-run defeat.

England, missing injured captain Ben Stokes, opener Zak Crawley and strike bowler Mark Wood, are unlikely to slip up in the third Test although a couple of their players go into the game under pressure.

Dan Lawrence, deputising for Crawley at the top of the order, has scored 30, 34, nine and seven in the first two Tests while Ollie Pope, England's skipper in Stokes's absence, has mustered only 30 runs in four innings.

Last year's Ashes Test at The Oval featured opening stands of 62, 49, 79 and 140 and, despite the forecast showers, Lawrence and Ben Duckett are worth backing to put on at least 30 in the first innings.

Pope will be determined to prove that captaincy is not hampering his batting form at number three and the Surrey man could answer his critics at his home ground.

He is a different player at The Oval, where he averages 80.64 in first-class cricket, and his two Test appearances in Kennington have produced first-innings scores of 81 against India in 2021 and 67 against South Africa in 2022.

Pope remains fallible early in his innings but at the prices he is worth chancing to record a 12th first-class century at his favourite venue.

Kamindu Mendis's lower-order batting has been a rare bright spot on a tough tour for Sri Lanka. 

The talented left-hander, who also bowls ambidextrous spin, has had player-performance make-ups of 61, 276, 171, 135 and 98 in his first five Test matches and can clear bet365's line of 58.5.

England vs Sri Lanka team news

England
Uncapped fast bowler Josh Hull replaces Matthew Potts in the only change from the second Test. Captain Ben Stokes, opener Zak Crawley and paceman Mark Wood are injured.

Sri Lanka
Seamer Vishwa Fernando has been recalled at the expense of spinner Prabath Jayasuriya. Dinesh Chandimal is fit to keep wicket again after a thumb injury so Nishan Madushka drops out of the 11 with Kusal Mendis coming in at number three.

England vs Sri Lanka weather

Scattered showers on days one, three and four. Days two and five should be cloudy but dry with temperatures ranging from 18C to 22C 

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