Sri Lanka has rewarded Kamindu Mendis for his profitable tour of England by moving him up the batting order for the two-test series against New Zealand starting on Wednesday.

Sri Lanka captain Dhananjaya de Silva and Kamindu Mendis frustrated England with an unbroken century partnership on the second day of the third Test at the Oval.

Follow live coverage of England vs Sri Lanka from the Sri Lanka in England 2024 today. The ICC Test Championship sees nine teams compete across a two-year cycle of matches before a two-team final decides the winner. The inaugural competition was won by New Zealand after a thrilling victory over India in June 2021.

England collapsed to 82-7 after bowling Sri Lanka out for 263; Jamie Smith hit a spectacular 67 to help rescue the hosts to 156; Sri Lanka 94-1 chasing 219: watch day four of the third and final Test live on Sky Sports Cricket from 10.

Prolific middle-order batter Kamindu Mendis struck a fine hundred to rescue Sri Lanka from a precarious position as the hosts reached 302-7 at stumps on Day 1 of the first test against New Zealand.

Rookie New Zealand fast bowler William O'Rourke took two wickets to rattle Sri Lanka's top order as the hosts reached 88 at lunch Wednesday on day one of the first Test. Sri Lanka last won a Test series against New Zealand in 2009.