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

Live Reporting

by Mike Peter & Ffion Wynne

  1. SL 206-8

    Just one from Joe Root's over as the pedestrian run-rate continues.

    With spin from both ends, Sri Lanka's patience will be tested under the gloomy Manchester skies.

  2. Not out

    Yep, bat hits ground.

    As you were.

  3. England review

    Now then!

    Has Joe Root struck in his first over? The umpire is unmoved as England go up for a caught behind. There's a definite noise, but is it bat on ball or has he hit the ground?

  4. Phil Tufnell
    Former England spinner on BBC Test Match Special

    Ollie Pope has had to scratch his head a little bit and have a think as the new skipper for England. He has made a couple of bowling changes, one of which is Joe Root.

  5. SL 205-8

    Just the one run off the over, as England continue to squeeze but neither batter is giving in - yet.

    A word for Vishwa Fernando, by the way, for his two from 23 balls. It's no Bazball but he's been great fun.

  6. SL 204-8

    Vishwa Fernando somehow survives a Gus Atkinson maiden.

    Both batters have taken some nasty blows to the gloves but they're bravely taking it on and battling through.

    Another frustrating lower-order partnership is building for England. Happens quite often, doesn't it?

  7. Phil Tufnell
    Former England spinner on BBC Test Match Special

    Milan Rathnayake has played well and showed a lot of courage. He had to take a few off Mark Wood and then he settled down beautifully. He has played some very classy and elegant shots, getting them up to a decent score.

  8. Get Involved

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

    Re Jake's metal detector find (15:42), I love a mystery like this. It looks like there's writing at the bottom which says "No leggings required". A quick Google search says this phrase was part of an advertising campaign for a Sydney-based men's outfitters called Peapes & Co, around 1918 (specifically for jodhpurs). So maybe it's a button? Could be completely wrong, of course. Anyway, back to the cricket.

    Anon

    I came across details of an auction of cricket memorabilia that included Victorian belt buckles, one of which is described as a batsman with two wooden legs and the inscription 'No leggings required'. Seems to match.

    Phil Harrison

  9. Vic Marks
    Former England spinner on BBC Test Match Special

    Rathnayake got a hold of that one then. What a fine innings that is. A half-century on his debut.

  10. 50 runs

    50 for Milan Rathnayake

    SL 204-8

    What a way to reach your first Test fifty - on debut, no less!

    Milan Rathnayake slams one down the ground for six, and proudly raises his bat to the Sri Lanka dressing room. His team mates and the coaching staff are all on their feet for a fantastic innings in the face of some hostile bowling and his side's collapse.

  11. SL 196-8

    England continue to test the lower order with the short stuff, but the pair are resisting so far. Rathnayake has done an excellent job at protecting Vishwa Fernando but the scoring has slowed down a fair bit.

    He has 47 to his name - perhaps he'll reach the half-century before thinking he might as well start swinging at a few.

  12. Get Involved

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

    Lesley: With all the lovely tributes to Graham Thorpe, please can we post useful contact info for anyone struggling with mental health? I'll start - Samaritans 116 123. Just call, you're not alone.

    Well done, Lesley. There's also BBC Action Line, which hosts a wealth of information and signposts to help.

  13. Vic Marks
    Former England spinner on BBC Test Match Special

    It's a good fight back from Sri Lanka, but whether it's a decisive one we'll wait and see. Bashir's figures for the first day of a Test match have been solid and he has found some turn.

  14. SL 193-8

    I'll be honest, when Sri Lanka were 6-3 after the first half hour of my live-texting stint this morning, I didn't have much hope of them still batting this evening.

    They're still not out of trouble at all, but credit to Dhananjaya de Silva and Milan Rathnayake, who is still there on 44. They've put up a fight.

  15. SL 190-8

    "Just survive two balls for me!" Rathnayake tells his batting partner, who just about manages to obey.

    Ah, the life of a tailender!

  16. Remembering Graham Thorpe

    BBC Test Match Special

    In case you missed our lunchtime tribute to Graham Thorpe on Test Match Special, you can catch it again here as a podcast. Below is another wonderful tribute, this time from Alex Tudor to BBC Radio Surrey.

    Former England and Surrey fast bowler Alex Tudor pays tribute to Graham Thorpe

  17. SL 188-8

    Rathnayake wisely scampers a single from the final ball of the over to keep the strike.

    Plenty for Ollie Pope to think about here, as the number nine continues to resist stubbornly.

  18. Jonathan Agnew
    BBC cricket correspondent

    England will be disappointed there - they had the opportunity to make sure the number 10 was left on strike.

  19. SL 187-8

    Milan Rathnayake continues to impress. He pulls a short ball from Gus Atkinson to the boundary with relative ease, before driving through the covers for three.

    As for Vishwa Fernando, his batting is making me wonder what on earth Sri Lanka's number 11 is like if he's at 10. It's wonderfully entertaining.

  20. SL 180-8

    "It's dropped about nine degrees out here!" is picked up on the stump mic, presumably from Jamie Smith.

    Both Sri Lanka batters are wearing their long sleeved jumpers and a few of the England players have come out in theirs, too. Some spectators have even got the blankets out.

    Oh, the joys of the British summer.