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Sri Lanka‘s first Test against England at Old Trafford in Manchester saw a dramatic opening day as Dhananjaya de Silva and debutant Milan Rathnayake played vital innings to rescue their team from a perilous situation. Despite their efforts, England remains in control, trailing by only 214 runs with all 10 wickets intact as they begin their first innings. England’s openers made a steady start, reaching 22/0 in four overs before bad light stopped play. Ben Duckett managed to find the boundary twice during his brief stay at the crease.
Early collapse for Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka’s decision to bat first quickly turned into a nightmare as they were reduced to 6/3 within the first seven overs. England’s bowlers capitalized on the early morning conditions, putting the visitors on the back foot right from the start. Sri Lanka’s top order crumbled under the pressure, and the team found themselves struggling at 113/7, staring down the barrel of a disastrous start to the series.
Also WATCH: ENG vs SL: Mark Wood bowls a snorter to dismiss Kusal Mendis on Day 1 of the first Test
Dhananjaya de Silva and Milan Rathnayake lead the fightback
In the midst of the collapse, captain De Silva and debutant Rathnayake took charge, displaying resilience and composure. The duo stitched together a crucial 66-run partnership for the eighth wicket, with De Silva leading the way. He scored a gritty 74 off 84 balls, including eight boundaries, before falling to England’s Shoaib Bashir. De Silva’s innings was instrumental in stabilizing the innings and preventing further damage.
After De Silva’s departure, Rathnayake continued the fight, this time in partnership with Viswa Fernando. Together, they added another 50 runs for the ninth wicket, with Rathnayake reaching his maiden Test fifty off 96 balls. Rathnayake’s composed knock of 72 was a testament to his potential, but his innings ended when he was dismissed by Bashir, leaving Sri Lanka at 236 all out.
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Milan Rathnayake registered the highest individual score at No. 9 position on Test debut 👏👏#cricket #ENGvSL #milanrathnayake ##SriLankaCricket #CricketTwitter pic.twitter.com/oYzrO9hDL2
— CricketTimes.com (@CricketTimesHQ) August 22, 2024
England’s bowlers shine
England’s bowlers, led by Chris Woakes and Shoaib Bashir, played a pivotal role in Sri Lanka’s early collapse. Both Woakes and Bashir picked up three wickets each, with Woakes exploiting the conditions beautifully. Gus Atkinson also made a significant contribution, taking two wickets, including that of former Sri Lankan skipper Dimuth Karunaratne. Mark Wood chipped in with the wicket of Kusal Mendis, while Matthew Potts had a challenging day, conceding runs at an economy rate of 5.33. Joe Root bowled seven overs but went wicketless.
