MANCHESTER: England clinched a five-wicket win over Sri Lanka on the fourth day of the first Test at Old Trafford, thanks to a steady 64-run partnership between Joe Root and Jamie Smith.
Despite a shaky start to their chase of a modest 205, England was anchored by Root, who scored 62 not out, and Smith, who contributed 39 before being bowled by Asitha Fernando. England had lost Ben Duckett early and captain Ollie Pope soon after, both dismissed for small scores. Dan Lawrence was also out for 34, trapped lbw by Milan Rathnayake. Harry Brook’s 32 and his partnership with Root was cut short when he was caught and bowled by Prabath Jayasuriya, leaving England at 119-4.
Sri Lanka began the day at 204-6, with Kamindu Mendis and Dinesh Chandimal extending their partnership to 117 runs. Mendis scored his third Test century, finishing with 113, while Chandimal added 79 despite a thumb injury. England dismissed Sri Lanka for 326, with Matthew Potts taking three wickets and Gus Atkinson claiming two. Sri Lanka’s final three wickets added just 19 runs.
The second Test will commence at Lord’s on Thursday.
Scoreboard:
Sri Lanka (1st Innings): 236 (D. de Silva 74, M. Rathnayake 72; C. Woakes 3-32, S. Bashir 3-55)
England (1st Innings): 358 (J. Smith 111, H. Brook 56; A. Fernando 4-103, P. Jayasuriya 3-85)
Sri Lanka (2nd Innings, overnight 204-6):
– N. Madushka b Woakes 0
– D. Karunaratne c Brook b Wood 27
– K. Mendis c Smith b Atkinson 0
– A. Mathews c Potts b Woakes 65
– D. Chandimal c (sub) b Potts 79
– D. de Silva lbw b Potts 11
– K. Mendis c Root b Atkinson 113
– M. Rathnayake c Duckett b Root 10
– P. Jayasuriya c Brook b Potts 5
– V. Fernando lbw b Woakes 0
Total (all out, 89.3 overs): 326
England (2nd Innings):
– B. Duckett c K. Mendis b A. Fernando 11
– D. Lawrence lbw b Rathnayake 34
– O. Pope c de Silva b Jayasuriya 6
– J. Root not out 62
– H. Brook c&b Jayasuriya 32
– J. Smith b A. Fernando 39
– C. Woakes not out 8
Total (for five wickets, 57.2 overs): 205
Result: England won by five wickets.
Series: England lead the three-match series 1-0.
