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Smith Scores First Century, Mathews Fights Back, But England Nears Win
Smith Scores First Century, Mathews Fights Back, But England Nears Win
Smith scored his maiden Test century in the first Test against Sri Lanka.
On the third day at Emirates Old Trafford, Angelo Mathews played a strong and determined innings, reminding everyone of his great performance during Sri Lanka’s 2014 tour of England. He scored 65 runs, while Kamindu Mendis added an unbeaten 56 runs. Their efforts gave Sri Lanka some hope, but England was still getting closer to their fourth straight win of the summer.
At the end of the day’s play, Sri Lanka had a lead of 82 runs with four wickets remaining. Despite being injured earlier, Dinesh Chandimal hit a boundary on the last ball, showing his injury wasn’t too bad. On the other hand, England’s key bowler, Mark Wood, had to leave the field due to thigh discomfort. However, Joe Root managed to take a wicket in the final over, keeping England in a strong position.
The day was full of action. England added 99 runs to their overnight score. Jamie Smith, starting at 72 not out, formed an important partnership with Gus Atkinson. Smith’s careful batting earned him his first Test century, making him the youngest England men’s wicketkeeper to achieve this. Atkinson’s support helped extend England’s lead.
Sri Lanka’s innings got off to a rough start, losing two early wickets to Chris Woakes and Gus Atkinson. Although they had a promising beginning, they struggled against England’s bowlers. Mathews and Mendis tried to fight back, but England’s bowlers took advantage of the conditions and the older ball to claim important wickets.
A key moment occurred when England successfully requested a ball change. The new ball swung more, boosting England’s chances. Woakes and Potts capitalized on this, creating many opportunities. Despite some missed chances, including dropped catches, England’s bowlers made crucial breakthroughs. Mathews, who had an early reprieve, was eventually dismissed by Woakes, leading to the collapse of Sri Lanka’s middle order.
With the match finely balanced and unsettled weather on the horizon, England seemed poised to take advantage and secure their win. The day’s events highlighted the changing dynamics of the game, as England’s bowlers maximized the favorable conditions while Sri Lanka’s resistance slowly weakened.
End of Day's Play
Day 1 : Sri Lanka 1st innings 236/10 (Dhananjaya de Silva 74, Milan Rathnayake 72, Chris Woakes : 3/32)
Day 1 : England 1st innings 22/0 (Ben Duckett 13*, Dan Lawrence 9*, de Silva : 0/14)
Day 2 : England 1st innings 259/6 (Jamie Smith 72*, Harry Brook 56, Asitha Fernando : 3/68)
Day 3 : England 1st innings 358/10 (Jamie Smith 111, Harry Brook 56, Asitha Fernando : 4/103)
Day 3 : Sri Lanka 2nd innings 204/6 (Dinesh Chandimal 20*, Kamindu Mendis 56*, Chris Woakes : 2/34)
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