Summary

  • England bowl out Sri Lanka for 236 - day one report

  • Sri Lanka captain De Silva hits fluent 74 & debutant Rathnayake 72

  • Tourists show fight having slipped to 113-7

  • Woakes and Bashir take three wickets each

  • First of three Tests

  1. Goodbyepublished at 18:30 British Summer Time 21 August

    Spectators wrapped in duvets watching the cricket from a balcony at Old TraffordImage source, Getty Images

    Right, that's us done for today.

    Take a read of Stephan Shemilt's day one report, and tune into the highlights on BBC Two and iPlayer from 19:00 BST. There'll also be a Test Match Special podcast ready shortly.

    Join us tomorrow for day two from Old Trafford (play starts 11:00), with England to resume on 22-0, 214 runs behind.

    Have a good evening.

  2. Postpublished at 18:29 British Summer Time 21 August

    England bowler Chris Woakes on Test Match Special: "I firmly feel we've had a great day. To bowl a team out on day one and then be none down at the close, that's always really pleasing.

    "I think we were happy to bowl first. It's one of those where you're not too sure about the Old Trafford pitch, as it is usually good for batting early on. But with the weather and a Sri Lanka team that hasn't had a huge amount of prep coming into it, we felt like we were in the game by bowling first. Early wickets are always crucial and it's set us up nicely for the rest of the day.

    "It's a dream start at 6-3. There was quite a lot of swing with the strong breeze that was blowing across the ground and then a bit off the seam with the wobble ball as well, which we put to good use."

    On the Angelo Mathews wicket: "I swung a few away from him, the ball was moving quite nicely in the air. I didn't quite expect it to nip back as much as it did, but always nice to see it hitting the knee roll! You have days where plans come together like that.

    On Ollie Pope: "Obviously it's going to be a bit different. Ben is Ben, we know what kind of character he is. Ollie has been VC to Ben for a while now and you could see some traits of Ben in how he went about it. He communicated really well, used his bowlers really well and was probably a bit more switched on than he's used to! I thought he did brilliantly.

    "When you've got a bit of an inexperienced captain, there are probably a few more ideas floating around than usual to take the pressure off Ollie a little bit. Especially as a bowling attack, we took it upon ourselves but he handled it really well."

    On the ball that kept low to Chandimal: "You just have to put it out of your mind, really. It was one ball out of quite a lot. You just have to focus on the ball coming at you. It's not often you see it happen on day one but thankfully it worked in our favour today."

    On the spinners staying on: "Yeah, it can be frustrating when you want to bowl your quicks to the lower order but that's how it goes. They're the cards that were dealt to us today with the weather and the conditions. But we felt as a team that we could still take those last wickets without them getting too far away.

    "In those situations it's easy to just say, OK, we're not getting what we want to let's walk off but that's not good for the people here to watch. And we back our spinners to do the job, which they did."

    "You never know if the pitch is going to play exactly the same but it looked like a new-ball pitch, there are runs to be had against the older ball. Hopefully we can get through that tomorrow, get past their score and get a big total on the board."

  3. 'It would have been nice to bowl them out earlier'published at 18:22 British Summer Time 21 August

    England bowler Chris Woakes speaking to Sky Sports: "When you bowl on day one on a Test surface like that you'd be really happy. It'd be nice to have bowled them out earlier.

    "We wanted to stay out there and Bashir was doing a great job. Who knows what the conditions will be like tomorrow. We felt we could bowl them out and thankfully we did in the end.

    "The first 25 overs, it felt as though there was a bit in it. Bashir kept it low. Once the ball got softer it looked a lot easier to bat on and they started to form partnerships. It definitely felt like a new-ball pitch.

    "Early on it swung a bit I tried to swing it early. I tried a couple of wobble seams like Atkinson. They were a little bit fuller than I'd have liked. It moved away and thankfully got the edge and nipped back nicely."

  4. Postpublished at 18:20 British Summer Time 21 August

    Michael Vaughan
    Former England captain on BBC Test Match Special

    The actual preparation, that doesn't worry me as much. England went to Abu Dhabi before their Pakistan trip last winter and they won quite comfortably.

    For me, the worry is below first-team level. England, Australia and India have so much money and investment in their pathways and development. They have a conveyor belt, they could send all their young players overseas from the under-19s, the Lions, they get so much experience and expertise.

    The other countries do not have that. Sri Lanka, West Indies, Bangladesh, they cannot afford to do that. So the gulf is just going to grow and grow, the three of them are just going to pull away. If the ICC stepped in and gave a fund of money to pathways below the first team - because that's where it starts, you can't just rely on a Muralitharan or a Sangakkara coming up.

    It has to come from development, from investment, and that is going to cost money. Something has to be done quickly.

  5. Postpublished at 18:16 British Summer Time 21 August

    Russel Arnold
    Ex-Sri Lanka all-rounder on BBC Test Match Special

    The technique that's required to play Test cricket in the UK is very different to what is needed in Sri Lanka. It is very, very difficult.

    And when you're under pressure, as they were here, it becomes even more difficult.

    Another warm-up game would have been ideal. But there aren't the opportunities for them in the schedule.

  6. Postpublished at 18:15 British Summer Time 21 August

    Back to the highlights.

    Captain Dhananjaya de Silva made 74, putting on a partnership of 63 with debutant Milan Rathnayake before he fell to Shoaib Bashir.

    Rathnayake pushed on, making his highest first-class score of 72, but holed out to Chris Woakes to become Bashir's third victim.

    Vishwa Fernando's comical run-out brought an end to the Sri Lanka innings, and England made 22 from four overs in reply before the day's play was brought to a close.

  7. Postpublished at 18:10 British Summer Time 21 August

    Michael Vaughan
    Former England captain on BBC Test Match Special

    You could say that England under-bowled Mark Wood today but I'm not bothered about it. There is a much bigger picture with him.

    England have got a clear plan with Wood and their quick bowlers, and they are not going to take risks. They need all of those quicks to be fit, if they are going to win in Australia.

    The three-man pace attack cannot work with Mark Wood, that's why England need Chris Woakes in there and batting at seven.

  8. Postpublished at 18:07 British Summer Time 21 August

    Let's take a look at some highlights then.

    England had an excellent start, reducing Sri Lanka to 113-7 by mid-afternoon.

  9. Postpublished at 18:06 British Summer Time 21 August

    Michael Vaughan
    Former England captain on BBC Test Match Special

    In a funny kind of way, opening with two spinners might've helped Dan Lawrence because he's used to batting in the middle order where you face more spin.

    It's been a funny old day. I thought England would be batting after lunch when Sri Lanka were 6-3. But, as with every Sri Lanka side that's ever been, they showed spirit.

    The captain Dhananjaya de Silva made batting actually look quite easy, in the face of some really rapid bowling from Mark Wood. And Rathnayake was just brilliant, what a left-hander he is to come in at number nine.

    I still feel like it's significantly under par but you just never know because there is rain about and that can often change things quite dramatically.

  10. Get Involvedpublished at 18:03 British Summer Time 21 August

    #bbccricket, via WhatsApp on 03301231826 or text 81111 (standard network charges apply)

    Listening to the game in Spain. Having to explain what's happening to a local who decided to join me. I can't speak Spanish and he doesn't understand English. The power of mime is what's seen us through.

    Keith & Susanna

  11. Postpublished at 18:01 British Summer Time 21 August

    Russel Arnold
    Ex-Sri Lanka all-rounder on BBC Test Match Special

    We didn't expect that from Milan Rathnayake.

    It was a very nervous time, but he applied himself so well and the shots he played were superb. His footwork and judgement was perfect, second only to Dhananjya de Silva.

    In terms of the top order, there were some loose shots from the openers and they made it easy for England, though they did bowl with very good discipline and gave very little away.

    Then there were some very good balls like Mark Wood's to Kusal Mendis, and Chandimal's one that rolled along the ground was very unlucky. So it was a difficult first session, there was a lot of uneven bounce that was making things happen.

    I think it's a good pitch, generally. There is something for everybody.

  12. Sri Lanka lead by 214published at 17:59 British Summer Time 21 August

    Just 78 overs in the day, with Sri Lanka bowled out for 236.

    Captain Dhananjaya de Silva (76) and debutant tail-ender Milan Rathnayake (74) lifted their side towards respectability after the tourists found themselves 6-3 and then 113-7.

    England made 22 from four overs in reply, with openers Ben Duckett and Dan Lawrence unbeaten overnight.

    Now we've passed six o'clock and with the players off the field, we've had the official call that the match is over for the day. The covers are coming on.

  13. Postpublished at 17:55 British Summer Time 21 August

    Russel Arnold
    Ex-Sri Lanka all-rounder on BBC Test Match Special

    Ben DuckettImage source, PA Media

    The light isn't going to get any better.

    It's been a good day's play, though England will certainly be the happier team especially as they lost the toss. I don't think Sri Lanka were patient enough in those four overs. They were searching for the wickets too much.

    But, they will come back hopeful tomorrow with plenty to work with in the pitch when their seamers can bowl.

  14. Postpublished at 17:55 British Summer Time 21 August

    Simon Mann
    BBC Test Match Special commentator on BBC Sounds

    It's fair enough for Sri Lanka. They have given it a go, it hasn't quite worked, so they want to bring on the seamers.

    They won't carry on with spin because they don't want to damage the new ball too much ahead of tomorrow.

    I suspect that'll be it for the day.

  15. Close of playpublished at 4 overs

    Eng 22-0 (Duckett 13, Lawrence 9)

    And that's that for the day.

    Lawrence faces five dot balls from Jayasuriya, before whipping his final ball away for four to the left of the mid-wicket fielder.

    Sri Lanka conclude that's enough for the spinner experiment and decide to conserve the new ball.

    Off we go, to return tomorrow.

  16. How's stat?!published at 17:53 British Summer Time 21 August

    Andy Zaltzman
    Statistician on Test Match Special

    This is a very unusual situation. It's just the second time that two spinners have opened the bowling in the first-innings of a Test in England since 1967. The last time was at Lord's in 2008, there were similar circumstances in terms of light and Monty Panesar and Kevin Pietersen opened against South Africa.

  17. Postpublished at 17:51 British Summer Time 21 August

    Simon Mann
    BBC Test Match Special commentator on BBC Sounds

    There are four men out on the boundary already!

  18. Postpublished at 17:51 British Summer Time 21 August

    Russel Arnold
    Ex-Sri Lanka all-rounder on BBC Test Match Special

    Ben Duckett is playing a very risky game but he uses his wrists so well.

    He has been beaten past both edges now.

  19. Eng 18-0published at 3 overs

    More sweeps than Mary Poppins here.

    Duckett goes for De Silva's first delivery, reaching the boundary. His next attempt doesn't come off so well, a top edge but it runs away for three.

  20. Get Involvedpublished at 17:49 British Summer Time 21 August

    #bbccricket, via WhatsApp on 03301231826 or text 81111 (standard network charges apply)

    Listening to TMS in a bar in Zanzibar, the light would be a problem, but definitely not duvet weather.

    Simon

    To be fair, I'm in Trogir (Croatia) and the light is fine. We're even an hour ahead.

    Anon

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