• Joe Root guided England to victory in a tense chase at the Old Trafford, Manchester.

  • England took a 1-0 lead in the three-match Test series.

Twitter reactions: Joe Root shines in England’s nervy victory over Sri Lanka in Manchester Test
Chris Woakes, Joe Root (PC: X)

Table of Contents

In a tense finish at Manchester’s Old Trafford,  Joe Root played a pivotal role in England’s narrow five-wicket victory over Sri Lanka. In the first Test of the three-match series, England chased down a target of 205 runs after a shaky start.

Sri Lanka’s struggle with the bat in the first innings

Sri Lanka, having elected to bat first, managed to post a total of 236 runs in their first innings, with Dhananjaya de Silva and Milan Rathnayake providing crucial contributions after the team found themselves in a precarious position at 113 for 7. England responded with a solid first innings total of 358, led by Jamie Smith, who scored 111 runs, marking his maiden Test century and becoming the youngest England wicketkeeper to achieve this feat.

In their second innings, Sri Lanka set a challenging target by scoring 326 runs, with Kamindu Mendis shining with a remarkable 113 runs. This left England needing 205 runs to secure the win. However, the chase began nervously for the hosts as they lost three wickets for just 70 runs.

Root’s calm and composed half-century, along with vital contributions from Harry Brook and Smith, steadied the innings. England ultimately reached 205 for 5, clinching the game and taking a 1-0 lead in the series.

Player of the Match

Smith’s performance earned him the ‘Player of the Match’ award, and he expressed his pride in contributing to the team’s success.

“It’s a great milestone (on registering his maiden international century), having missed out by 5 runs in the previous series, it feels nice,” Smith said in the post-match presentation.

“To go over the line and to get us into the lead is amazing. It’s when you come back after a day’s play and check those messages from all the people who have been part of your journey and supported you throughout, it really feels amazing. Very proud moment,” he added.

Also READ: Youngest wicketkeepers to smash a Test century for England – feat Jamie Smith

“To put us into that position ( on gaining lead in the first innings) is very pleasing because we knew it is not going to be easy to bat fourth on that surface. Always a semi-difficult chase, it was attritional and it was a nice wicket, but they bowled nicely. Root played well and allowed everyone to play around him. Enjoyable team to be part of, to be out there and representing your country is a great honour really.”

Here’s how Twitter reacted:

Also READ: Meet Harry Singh, son of RP Singh, who fielded for England in the first Test against Sri Lanka

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About the Author:
ANIRUDH SINGH
Anirudh is the Head of Content at CricketTimes.com. He is a seasoned journalist and content writer with 12 years of experience in the field of cricket. With over 9,000 published articles under his belt, Anirudh brings a creative and strategic approach to his work, always striving to deliver content that resonates with audiences. A die-hard sports fan who loves playing, watching and talking about cricket. Cricket is his Religion & 'Sachin Tendulkar' his GOD. His motto of life is Eat, Sleep, Cricket, REPEAT!! You can write to him at anirudh@crickettimes.com and follow him on Twitter, Facebook & Linkedin.