After Thursday’s first session was abandoned due to rain, England went into tea on the second day of the first test against Sri Lanka at 176-4, trailing by 60 runs after Harry Brook’s half-century.
Due to poor light, Sri Lanka was unable to use their fast bowlers at the end of the first day of play, as England scored 22 runs off spin in four overs after scoring 236 in the first innings on Wednesday.
But on Thursday, the tourists made the most of the overcast skies in Manchester, taking three wickets in the first hour to put England on the back foot. This came after an early lunch due to the wet outfield.
“Brook leads England charge with handy fifty to cut Sri Lanka’s lead”
Day two saw Asitha Fernando take the pitch first and use an inswinging delivery to trap Ben Duckett leg-before in his second over. After Sri Lanka successfully reviewed, the opener was allowed to walk back.
Subsequently, he breached the defence of acting captain Ollie Pope to hit the upper limit of off stump, while his left-arm fast bowling counterpart Vishwa Fernando trapped Dan Lawrence, who was opening for the injured Zak Crawley, for thirty runs.
Asitha struck again when he had Root fishing outside off stump, nicking the ball to wicketkeeper Dinesh Chandimal, who deftly scooped it into his gloves before it fell short. Joe Root and Brook steadied the ship with a 58-run partnership.
But Brook, who is still unbeaten at 53, had the better of Sri Lanka’s bowling and scored at a healthy strike rate that has defined England’s “Bazball” strategy in home tests.
While Jamie Smith (22 not out) also danced down the track to smash Prabath Jayasuriya into the stands over the long on boundary, the 25-year-old smashed four boundaries.
Before the players left for tea, the duo achieved England’s second fifty-run partnership (51 runs).
Source: Reuters
