England clinched a five-wicket victory over Sri Lanka in the first Test on August 24, securing a 1-0 lead in the three-match series. Joe Root's match-winning half-century played a crucial role in England's triumph on Day 4 in Manchester.
Joe Root shines in England's 5-wicket win over SL in 1st Test
England faced a challenging task in their pursuit of 205 runs to win the first Test against Sri Lanka. After losing their top order before tea on Day 4 at Old Trafford, England found themselves at 70-3, requiring 135 more runs for victory. Joe Root and Harry Brook were the remaining recognized batsmen, with wicketkeeper Jamie Smith, the first-innings century-maker, set to follow. The run rate had dropped to 3.97 per over, increasing the uncertainty of the result. Ben Duckett (11), Dan Lawrence (34), and captain Ollie Pope (6) had been dismissed, leaving England's batting lineup vulnerable. But Root was resilient to take England past the victory line. He weaved crucial partnership with Harry Brook (32) and Jamie Smith (39) to keep England's scoreboard ticking. Despite losing Brook and Smith enroute to England's chase Root stood the ground and stopped only after sealing the win for England with his gritty 128-ball 62.
Jamie Smith awarded the Player of the Match
Jamie Smith was awarded the Player of the Match for his exceptional performance in the first Test against Sri Lanka. His scintillating century in the first innings, followed by a valuable 39 in the second, played a crucial role in England's victory. This marked Ollie Pope's first Test match win as England's captain, taking over the leadership duties after Ben Stokes' injury. England extended their winning streak in the English summer to four consecutive Tests. Joe Root's finishing touch secured the victory for England.
Earlier, Sri Lanka's innings came to an end shortly after lunch on the fourth day, collapsing after the dismissal of Kamindu Mendis for 113. This was Mendis' third Test century in just four matches. Dinesh Chandimal was the last batter to be dismissed, scoring 79 runs. The final four wickets fell within 26 balls.
Sri Lanka added 122 runs to their total on the fourth day, resuming their second innings at 204-6.
How the Day 4 panned out?
Sri Lanka staged a strong recovery, improving their score from 95/4 to 307/7. Despite the absence of key speedster Mark Wood due to a right thigh injury, England's bowlers failed to take any wickets in the first session. However, with the aid of the new ball, England quickly dismissed the remaining Sri Lankan batsmen, bundling them out for 326/10. This gave England a target of 205 runs to win the match.
England's chase began aggressively, with Ben Duckett and Daniel Lawrence looking to score quickly. However, Asitha Fernando once again proved to be a thorn in England's side, dismissing Duckett in the sixth over. With a target of 205 runs, Sri Lanka needed early wickets to put pressure on England.
England's scoring rate slowed down, and captain Ollie Pope was dismissed by Prabath Jayasuriya. Daniel Lawrence soon followed, leaving England at 70-3. Joe Root and Harry Brook led England's recovery, and the match became increasingly exciting as the post-tea session approached, with both teams needing 123 runs for victory.
England's Victory and Sri Lanka's Fight
Jayasuriya struck again, breaking the Root-Brook partnership with a caught and bowled dismissal. Jamie Smith, the youngest wicketkeeper batter to score a Test century for Sri Lanka, joined Root at the crease. The 24-year-old played aggressively to accelerate England's chase, but their 64-run stand ended with England needing less than 20 runs to win. Joe Root, however, finished the job for his team. Although England emerged victorious, Sri Lanka put up a strong fight. Asitha Fernando's four wickets in England's first innings were crucial. Kamindu Mendis displayed impressive maturity, and Dinesh Chandimal's resilience was evident despite his thumb injury. Sri Lanka's players were agile on the field, preventing boundaries and creating opportunities for wickets even as England approached victory.
Meanwhile, the second Test between England and Sri Lanka will start from August 29 at Lord's.
MORE ON SPORTS TAK:
