Even after weeks of telling people how he considered himself a bowler now instead of a batsman, Moeen Ali managed to seal the deal, shutting the mouths of his critics.
Picking up his pace, Moeen's unbeaten 155 was full of his trademarke strokes through the off side. "It is about time I got some runs. I felt like I owed the team. Today was a great feeling. I like playing with freedom so if I see it, I go for it. My off side play is my strength and weakness so I will keep playing that way. I enjoy batting at number six but batting eight has not fazed me. I have to get scores if I am to go up the order."
Ali shared valuable partnerships of 92 for the seventh wicket and 72 for the ninth with pacemen Chris Woakes and Steven Finn respectively. But both Ali (on 36) and Woakes (eight) were dropped in the midst of an awful Sri Lanka fielding effort. That was compounded by their third collapse in as many innings this series, as Sri Lanka slumped to 91 for eight at stumps -- a colossal 407 runs behind on first innings -- with Woakes taking three wickets for nine runs in seven overs. Ali made his name as a top-order batsman with Worcestershire but was deployed primarily as an off-spinner by England, often batting at No.8. This match saw the 28-year-old promoted to No.7 in the absence of injured all-rounder Ben Stokes.
The only highlight for Sri Lanka on Saturday was when left-arm spinner Rangana Herath took his 300th Test wicket. Herath, 38, was just the third Sri Lankan to achieve the feat after extraordinary off-spinner Muttiah Muralitharan (800 Test wickets) and left-arm seamer Chaminda Vaas (355). "It's a big achievement taking 300 Test wickets," said Herath, who reached the landmark when he caught and bowled Finn.
