London, Sep 8 (AP) Sri Lanka was on course for a series-closing victory over England after reaching 94-1 in its chase for 219 to win the third test at The Oval on Sunday.

After skittling England for 156, Sri Lanka kept the momentum late on Day 3 as Pathum Nissanka played beautifully for 53 not out and was enjoying a 55-run partnership with Kusal Mendis (30 not out).

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The tourists need 125 more runs to win, though have already lost the series after defeats in Manchester and Lord's. England is seeking a second straight series sweep this summer, having beaten the West Indies 3-0 in July.

It was a dominant day in south London for Sri Lanka, which started the day on 211-5, was dismissed for 263 to be only 62 runs behind after the first innings and bowled out a sloppy England batting unit in 34 overs. (AP)

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(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)