Sport

Joe Root digs in to guide England to battling win over Sri Lanka in first Test

Root finished unbeaten on 62 as England chases down 205 to win by five wickets

England's Joe Root plays a reverse sweep during day four of the first Test against Sri Lanka at Old Trafford. Photograph: Nick Potts/PA Wire
England's Joe Root plays a reverse sweep during day four of the first Test against Sri Lanka at Old Trafford. Photograph: Nick Potts/PA Wire
Sat Aug 24 2024 - 19:56

1st Test: Sri Lanka 236 (D de Silva 73, M Rathnayake 72; C Woakes 3-32, S Bashir 3-55, G Atkinson 2-48) & 326 (K Mendis 113, D Chandimal 79, A Mathews 65; M Potts 3-47, C Woakes 3-58, G Atkinson 2-89) lost to England 358 (J Smith 111, H Brook 56, J Root 42; A Fernando 4-103, P Jayasuriya 3-85, V Fernando 2-73) & 205-5 (J Root 62no, J Smith 39; A Fernando 2-25, P Jayasuriya 2-98) by 5 wkts

Joe Root shelved the more aggressive instincts of ‘Bazball’ but kept England’s winning habit alive, defeating Sri Lanka by five wickets in the first Test at Old Trafford to make it four victories from four this summer.

Presented with a chase of 205 early in the fourth afternoon of this series opener, England were unable to produce the kind of fourth-innings fireworks that have become their calling card over the last couple years, but emerged triumphant thanks to Root’s hard-working half-century.

After losing three wickets in a nervy spell before tea they were forced to pump the brakes in front of a becalmed Manchester crowd, eventually getting the job done deep in the evening session and 58 overs in.

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Root steadied the ship in a watchful stand of 49 with Harry Brook and made sure to see things through to the end, reaching 62 not out to hand stand-in captain Ollie Pope victory in his first game at the helm.

Root finished things with a four, one of only two in his three-hour stay.

Jamie Smith, fresh from a maiden Test century in the first innings, took it upon himself to release the shackles as the finish line hovered into view as he hit a dashing 39 that erased the prospect of the match creeping into a fifth day.

England had earlier saw the target get away from them in the morning session, Kamindu Mendis scoring a fine 113 and Dinesh Chandimal posting 79 as they made life difficult for an attack robbed of Mark Wood’s extreme pace.

Wood pulled up injured late on Friday evening and was ruled out of the day’s play with a thigh injury that looks likely to wreck his hopes of featuring at Lord’s next week.

England, already without the inspirational qualities of regular skipper Ben Stokes, missed the rush of speed that Wood provides but finally got to grips with the situation once they ended the 117-run seventh-wicket stand.

They took the final four wickets in 26 balls, with two for Matthew Potts and one each for Gus Atkinson and Chris Woakes.

Sri Lanka’s lead was well beyond what England might have expected when the tourists resumed just 82 ahead with four wickets in hand and a game that has occasionally drifted along gently suddenly seemed to hang in the balance as England’s top order gave way.

Root played the role of designated driver to ensure England did not slip up, carefully seeing his side home and keeping alive the prospect of following up the 3-0 series win over the West Indies with an identical scoreline against the Sri Lankans.