A managed 64-run partnership between Joe Root and Jamie Smith has guided England to a five-wicket win over Sri Lanka on the penultimate day of the primary Take a look at at Previous Trafford.
Root dug in after England had made a shaky begin to chasing a modest victory goal of 205 on Saturday, reaching his match-winning unbeaten half-century off 108 balls.
However Sri Lanka made an actual recreation of it after one other high quality century from Kamindu Mendis compelled England to should labour for his or her victory.
“We needed to work onerous for that over the 4 days however we bowled very well all through, Jamie Smith batted so nicely after which Joe placed on a clinic for us on the finish,” England captain Ollie Pope stated.
“I believed Sri Lanka performed very well and pushed us all the best way.”
England misplaced opener Ben Duckett early when he edged to wicketkeeper Kusal Mendis for 11 and Pope quickly adopted him again to the pavilion, caught at slip for six.
Dan Lawrence (34) was subsequent to go, trapped lbw by Milan Rathnayake. Harry Brook (32) shared a 49-run partnership with Root earlier than being caught and bowled by Prabath Jayasuriya, leaving England wobbling at 4-119.
Smith, who scored his maiden Take a look at century within the first innings, matched Root’s persistence as England went an hour and not using a boundary and the hosts had been firmly again in management earlier than Smith was bowled by Asitha Fernando for 39.
Root, who ended unbeaten on 62, hit solely his second 4 from the final ball of the match to present England a 1-0 lead within the three-Take a look at sequence.
Sri Lanka captain Dhananjaya de Silva shrugged: “We had our plans however within the first innings however we couldn’t execute them. Our errors had been made within the first innings and that value us the match.”
Sri Lanka had began the day at 6-204 and Mendis alongside Dinesh Chandimal batted by the rain-hit first session to forge a 117-run partnership for the seventh wicket. It bought the touring facet previous the 300-run mark.
Kamindu (113) scored his third Take a look at century as he saved the scoreboard ticking with a mix of chic shot-making and tireless working between the wickets.
The center-order batter has quick turn into certainly one of Sri Lanka’s most constant Take a look at gamers, scoring three centuries and two half-centuries within the eight innings he has performed within the longest format of the sport.
However Kamindu nicked Gus Atkinson to Root quickly after lunch as England made the many of the new ball, regardless of quick bowler Mark Wooden being dominated out for the day with a thigh damage.
Matthew Potts dismissed Chandimal, who scored 79 regardless of taking part in by ache after struggling a blow to his thumb, to finish Sri Lanka’s innings on 326, with the guests including solely 19 runs for the final three wickets.
The second Take a look at begins at Lord’s on Thursday.
© AAP