Day 1 Report: England vs Sri Lanka 1st Test Match
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| England Finish Day 1 at 22/0 as Sri Lanka's Lower Order fightback led to 236 / Getty Images |
England ended Day 1 of their Test match against Sri Lanka at 22/0, trailing by 214 runs after bowling out the visitors for 236.
The day was a roller-coaster, with England’s bowlers initially dominating, but Sri Lanka’s lower order staged a gritty fightback.
Sri Lanka, after opting to bat, suffered an early collapse. Chris Woakes (3/35) and Gus Atkinson (2/28) decimated the top order, leaving the visitors reeling at 6/3 in just the seventh over. Kusal Mendis (24) and Dinesh Chandimal (17) attempted a recovery, but both fell before lunch, leaving Sri Lanka at 80/5 after the first session.
Bashir strikes in only his second over 😲💥 pic.twitter.com/evWunci70P
— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) August 21, 2024
The post-lunch session saw a resolute partnership between skipper Dhananjaya de Silva (74) and debutant Milan Rathnayake (72). The duo frustrated the English bowlers, adding 63 crucial runs before de Silva’s dismissal just before tea. Rathnayake continued to fight, bringing up his maiden Test fifty and guiding Sri Lanka to a respectable total with valuable lower-order contributions.
In fading light, England’s openers Ben Duckett (13*) and Daniel Lawrence (9*) safely negotiated the final overs bowled by spinners, finishing at 22/0.
Despite a strong start by England's bowlers, Sri Lanka’s resilience kept them in the game, setting up an intriguing Day 2.
Match Summary Day 1 of ENG vs SL !!
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| pic - Sky Sports Cricket/x |
Graham Thorpe !!
A touching moment as both players and the crowd observe a moment of applause in remembrance of Graham Thorpe 👏❤ pic.twitter.com/hWrKzRuC6v
— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) August 21, 2024
