Discover how Sri Lanka’s resilience faltered against a strong England side in the 1st Test at Old Trafford. Read our in-depth analysis and highlights.
Introduction:
This Test match between England and Sri Lanka at Emirates Old Trafford has seen the former firmly stamp their dominance on the first day of action, despite a gallant fight from the latter. England trailed Sri Lanka by 214 runs with a score of 22 without loss at the end of play, following the bowling out of Sri Lanka for 236.
Sri Lanka’s Bold Decision to Bat First
The decision of Sri Lanka to bat first found its justification at the start by performances from Dhananjaya de Silva and Milan Rathnayake. Dhananjaya de Silva fashioned a really brave 74-run inning off 84 balls in style, showing some brilliant batting in less than perfect conditions for batting. Rathnayake did respond with a memorable performance on his debut, returning undefeated at 72 runs off 135 balls. His innings turned into a record as the highest score ever by any debutant who has batted at No. 9 in Tests.
See also: India’s T20I Series Victory Against Sri Lanka With Spin and Rain
The initial promise of a competitive total was soon lost to a topsy-turvy collapse. From the outset, Sri Lanka’s innings was in deep trouble, slumping to 6 for 3 inside seven overs with incisive bowling from both Gus Atkinson and Chris Woakes.
England Bowlers in Control Early
The England bowlers responded well to the conditions, mostly through Atkinson and Woakes. His first breakthrough came when Atkinson sent Dimuth Karunaratne back with a well-directed lifter that proved too good on the latter. Woakes picked up two quick wickets to send Nishan Madushka and Angelo Mathews back to the pavilion without much fight. Madushka fell to an outswinger while Mathews, after an ill-judged shot, was adjudged lbw to a delivery hitting the top of middle stump.
See also: Asitha Fernando Shines as England Builds Slim 23-Run Lead Over Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka’s Resilience and Recovery
After the collapse, Kusal Mendis and Dinesh Chandimal tried to bail out the innings with their counterattacking game. A fleet-footed Mendis produced the first five boundaries of the innings in a brief flurry; it was an aggressive Mendis and Matthew Potts’s wide angle presented opportunities for scoring.
See also: England’s First Test Win Against Sri Lanka by 5 Wickets
As the innings wore on, further blows were taken when Wood’s aggressive bowling sent Mendis out with a lifter that hit his thumb to provoke a serious injury worry. All this time, de Silva continued to anchor the innings, brilliant for poise and skill. His innings of eight boundaries was a display of faith in the true nature of the pitch.
Brilliance of Rathnayake on Debut
Milan Rathnayake made a resilient and classy debut. The brilliance of Rathnayake, joining with de Silva, meant that crucial contributions came from his innings, with a partnership of 63 for the eighth wicket. His innings was characteristic of selective aggression; strokeplay was excellent as he notched a career-high 72. For such an inexperienced man, he made a really mature contribution, which was critical in pushing Sri Lanka to a competitive total.
England’s Response and Early Advantage
It was as good as it got for Sri Lanka, and England replied with great care. Their openers, Ben Duckett and Dan Lawrence, glided to 22 without loss in four overs before stumps, with an assured feeling that the pitch still had plenty to offer. Most eyes will be on England’s response to see whether they are able to make a solid platform and press home what was a very advantageous position they earned through today’s play.
Tribute to Graham Thorpe
Before the game started, both teams took a minute to mark the passing of former great English cricketer Graham Thorpe, who died on August 4 at 55. For the same reason, England wore black armbands for the entire game in his memory as a respectable gesture toward what he did for the team as a player and mentor.
Conclusion
As the first day of the Test drew to a close, Sri Lanka’s total of 236 looked increasingly below par as England took a strong position. The English bowlers seemed to be in fine fettle, and though the Sri Lankan batsmen showed resolve, they could not do enough to counter England’s early breakthroughs. The second day is sure to provide more excitement as England will try to press home their advantage while Sri Lanka hopes to make a comeback.