Eng vs SL 1st Test Day 1 De Silva Rathnayake Lead Fightback

De Silva and Rathnayake's resilience boosts Sri Lanka after early collapse. © Twitter (@AqdasRehman)

Emirates Old Trafford, August 21, 2024 – The first day of the opening Test between England and Sri Lanka was a rollercoaster of emotions, filled with dramatic twists and turns that left both teams with reasons for optimism and concerns. While England finished the day firmly in control, thanks to a commanding bowling performance and a solid start to their reply, Sri Lanka’s valiant lower-order fightback ensured the match remained tantalizingly poised.

A Nightmare Start for Sri Lanka

Winning the toss on a hard and dry Old Trafford pitch, Sri Lanka’s captain, Dhananjaya de Silva, opted to bat first, a decision that appeared to backfire spectacularly within the first seven overs. Gus Atkinson and Chris Woakes exploited the early morning conditions, reducing Sri Lanka to a dismal 6 for 3. Dimuth Karunaratne, Nishan Madushka, and Angelo Mathews, three of Sri Lanka’s most experienced batsmen, were all back in the pavilion before the scoreboard reached double figures.

Atkinson struck the first blow, removing Karunaratne for a single run after a 17-ball struggle. The Sri Lankan skipper’s attempt to break the shackles with a loose shot across the line resulted in a simple catch, handing England early momentum. Woakes then joined the party, dismissing Madushka and Mathews in quick succession. Madushka, after showing early discipline, nicked a wide outswinger straight to Joe Root at slip, while Mathews’ ill-judged leave saw him trapped in front by an inswinger that was crashing into the stumps. With the scoreboard reading 6 for 3, Sri Lanka’s innings were teetering on the brink of disaster.

Sri Lanka Batting (1st Innings)

England Bowling (1st Innings)

A Steady Rebuild Amid the Ruins

With the top-order decimated, the onus fell on Kusal Mendis and Dinesh Chandimal to rebuild the innings. They showed some fight, counter-attacking whenever the opportunity arose, especially against Matthew Potts, who proved to be the weak link in England’s otherwise formidable bowling attack. Kusal played some exquisite drives, taking advantage of Potts’ wide angles, but just as the pair seemed to be settling in, disaster struck again.

Mark Wood, renowned for his express pace, entered the attack with a ferocious spell that had Sri Lanka’s batters hopping. He struck in his very first over, delivering a brutal bouncer that reared up at Kusal, smashing into his thumb and looping to Harry Brook at second slip. Kusal’s dismissal for 24, coupled with the injury to his thumb, was a massive blow to Sri Lanka’s hopes of a substantial first-innings total.

Chandimal, who had looked composed in his partnership with de Silva, fell bizarrely just before lunch. Shoaib Bashir, making his debut for England, produced a delivery that barely got off the ground, sneaking under Chandimal’s bat to trap him LBW. Despite a hopeful review, the decision stood, and Sri Lanka headed to lunch at 71 for 5, their innings in tatters.

De Silva Leads the Lower-Order Resistance

If Sri Lanka’s top order had crumbled under pressure, their captain, Dhananjaya de Silva, showed immense character in leading a spirited fightback. After the interval, de Silva played with a mix of caution and aggression, choosing his moments to attack with precision. He found an able ally in Kamindu Mendis, but their partnership was short-lived as Mendis fell victim to Woakes, who returned to the attack with renewed vigour.

With the score at 113 for 6 and only the tail to come, Sri Lanka would struggle even to reach 150. However, de Silva had other plans. Batting with the assurance that has characterized his best innings, he farmed the strike expertly, rotating the strike with singles and unleashing boundaries when the opportunity presented itself. His footwork against the spinners was particularly impressive, and he reached his half-century with a crisp drive through the covers, a shot that encapsulated his approach to the innings.

But just as Sri Lanka began to harbour hopes of a more competitive total, de Silva’s innings ended abruptly. Having added 63 valuable runs for the eighth wicket with debutant Milan Rathnayake, de Silva fell for 74, caught at leg slip off Bashir. His dismissal left Sri Lanka at 176 for 8, with the prospect of being bowled out well short of 200.

Rathnayake’s Remarkable Debut

If de Silva’s innings had been a captain’s knock, Milan Rathnayake’s contribution was extraordinary. Presented with his Test cap by the legendary Kumar Sangakkara before the start of play, Rathnayake had looked every bit the nervous debutant early on. But once he settled into his innings, he played with a calmness and maturity that belied his inexperience at the international level.

Rathnayake’s innings was a masterclass in lower-order batting. He was initially content to play second fiddle to de Silva, but once the captain departed, he took on the mantle of the lead batsman. He picked the right moments to attack, bringing up his half-century with a towering six over long-on, and continued to play with controlled aggression as he moved past his previous best first-class score of 59.

Rathnayake’s partnership with Vishwa Fernando for the ninth wicket added 50 crucial runs, frustrating England’s bowlers and pushing Sri Lanka towards a more respectable total. His innings finally ended on 72, as he attempted one lofted shot too many, with Woakes taking a fine catch at mid-off to dismiss him.

Sri Lanka’s innings ended shortly after, with Fernando run out for 13, leaving the team all out for 236. While the total was far from imposing, it significantly improved from the dire situation they found themselves in early on. Rathnayake’s knock was the highest ever by a debutant at No.9 in Test history, and it gave Sri Lanka something to bowl at in the evening session.

England’s Solid Start

With half an hour left in the day’s play, England’s openers, Ben Duckett and Dan Lawrence, faced a tricky period under fading light. In a surprising move, Sri Lanka opted to open the bowling with spin from both ends, a tactic rarely seen in English conditions. Despite the novelty of the situation, Duckett and Lawrence negotiated the challenge with ease, taking advantage of some loose deliveries to reach 22 for 0 at stumps.

England Batting (1st Innings) – At Stumps

England’s decision to replace Zak Crawley with Lawrence at the top of the order paid early dividends, with both batsmen looking comfortable against the spinners. Their positive start highlighted the true nature of the pitch, which, despite offering some assistance to the bowlers, still had plenty of runs in it for those willing to apply themselves.

A Poignant Tribute

Before the play, both teams lined up on the outfield to pay tribute to the late Graham Thorpe, who passed away earlier this month at 55. Thorpe, who averaged 44.66 in a distinguished 100-Test career, mentored many of England’s current players, including Joe Root, Ollie Pope, and Ben Stokes. England’s players wore black armbands throughout the day in memory of one of their greats, and the tribute added a poignant note to the day’s proceedings.