England secured a remarkable victory against Sri Lanka on the fourth day of the Test at Old Trafford. Chasing a target of 204 runs, the home team faced early pressure despite a strong start. Openers Ben Duckett and Daniel Lawrence built a solid foundation, but it quickly crumbled. The match took a dramatic turn when Duckett was dismissed in the sixth over.
At that point, England was at 119 for 4, and Sri Lanka began to dream of a win. However, experienced batsman Joe Root turned the match in England’s favor. His unbeaten 62 off 128 balls, along with a crucial 64-run partnership with Jamie Smith, guided England to a 5-wicket victory. With this win, England took a 1–0 lead in the three-match series.
Earlier in the day, Sri Lanka resumed their second innings at 187 for 5, with a lead of 65 runs. Overnight batsman Kamindu Mendis extended the lead, supported by Dinesh Chandimal. Their 107-run partnership for the seventh wicket put Sri Lanka in a strong position.
Mendis scored 113, marking his fourth career century, while Chandimal added 79 before being the last man out. Sri Lanka’s innings ended at 326, setting a target of 205 for England.
England’s openers started aggressively, but the run rate slowed down after Duckett’s dismissal. The pressure mounted when captain Ollie Pope and opener Lawrence were quickly dismissed.
However, Joe Root and Harry Brook built a 49-run partnership to relieve the pressure. Brook was dismissed for 32, and Jamie Smith accelerated the scoring with 39 runs. Despite Smith’s dismissal, Root remained unbeaten and led England to victory.
Root’s determination and Smith’s brave batting were key to England’s win. Although Sri Lanka’s bowlers initially put England under pressure, Root’s experience and Smith’s fearless batting thwarted their plans. England eventually secured a 5-wicket victory and took a 1–0 lead in the series.
Brief Scores:
- Sri Lanka: 236 & 326 (Kamindu 113, Chandimal 79, Mathews 65; Potts 3/47, Woakes 3/58).
- England: 358 & 205/5 (Root 62*, Smith 39, Lawrence 34; Jayasuriya 2/98).
- Result: England won by 5 wickets.
