Summary

  • Debutant Ben Foakes makes assured unbeaten 87

  • Foakes shares partnerships of 61 with Buttler, 88 with Sam Curran & 54 with Rashid

  • Rashid edges to slip for 35 off 38 balls three overs before close - gives Perera his fourth wicket

  • Curran makes 48; Buttler (38) only wicket to fall in afternoon session

  • Stokes (7), Jennings (46), Root (35), Moeen (0) & Burns (9) out before lunch

  • First Test in three-match series v Sri Lanka

Live Reporting

Tom Rostance and Matthew Henry

  1. Eng 208-6

    Ben Foakes' footwork is really impressive, on debut especially. He is nimble, a good touch for a tall man if you like.

    He picks Dilruwan Perera away into space either side of the track but there's no run.

  2. Phil Tufnell
    Ex-England spinner on The Cricket Social

    England will be kicking themselves. When you win the toss on a pitch you know will disintegrate it is a massive advantage.

  3. Eng 208-6

    Watchful stuff again against Rangana Herath. No chances given or taken by either side.

  4. Ben Foakes celebrates reaching his fityGetty Images

    Play Foakes on the left?

  5. Get Involved

    Text 81111

    Interesting to hear people talk of how to fit Bairstow, Buttler and Foakes into a Test side, as it reminds me of the age old "Lampard, Gerrard, Scholes" mess the England football team had for an age. Ultimately, management are paid to make big decisions, so they need to decide the best mix and that might involve making an unpopular choice to leave one player out.

    James, Nottingham

  6. ouch!

    Eng 207-6

    Foakes 53, Curran 17

    Short, Sam Curran is on to it and lashes the ball into the turf and into the wrist of the fielder in at short extra cover. Ouch indeed.

    He's going to be OK though

  7. Eng 207-6

    The traditional 'post-tea' surge in volume can be heard in the stands now. Whereas it's usually booze-fuelled patrons back home in Blighty who get a bit noisy as the afternoon goes on, it sounds like a load of children in Galle. In after school?

    These two English batsmen look comfortable at the moment. The pitch isn't offering much and they are picking singles almost at will.

  8. Get your boots on Tuffers.

  9. Phil Tufnell
    Ex-England spinner on The Cricket Social

    It looks like the pitch will turn. It looks a bit grubby and doesn't look like it has much of a top on it.

  10. Eng 205-6

    It's a great recovery from 103-5 for England. But what is a good first-innings score on this pitch?

    Sam Curran clips a nice shot back for a single off Rangana Herath. I've only just found out that Curran was born in Northampton so he's alright by me...

  11. How's stat?!

    Andy Zaltzman
    The Cricket Social statistician

    Ben Foakes is the fourth wicketkeeper in a row to score a half-century on debut for England. Matt Prior was the first, then Tim Ambrose and Jos Buttler.

    Before that England had had 56 wicketkeepers and only three had scored a half century on Test debut.

    They're like London buses.

  12. Eng 203-6

    Foakes 51, Curran 15

    How many keepers can you get in one XI? We may find out in the next Test or two.

    It's only really the openers who are 'specialists' in this side. Everyone else does at least two jobs.

    Dilruwan Perera gets Sam Curran into a knot with a slower ball, thrown up, and that's very nearly a bat/pad chance of a glove. Well bowled!

  13. Get Involved

    Text 81111

    Having Bairstow, Buttler and Foakes in same side is great if their batting justifies it. It could limit bowling options though, especially as I'm not sure Root is long term answer at 3. Would still like to see Vince be given more of a chance. So.....Vince at 3 then Root, Bairstow, Buttler, Stokes, Foakes leaving room for 3 more bowlers. Feels a bit unbalanced to me.

    Danny in Bath

  14. 50 runs

    50 FOR FOAKES

    Eng 201-6

    Well played, Ben Foakes! He tucks a single away off his pads and England have 200 up, and he has a fifty on debut.

    He's faced 111 balls. The next most faced today is 53...

  15. Eng 199-6

    Dilruwan Perera, who has three wickets to his name, will open up the bowling at the other end. He ripped some through earlier on, causing real problems.

    Sam Curran to face.

  16. Eng 199-6

    A maiden keeps Ben Foakes on 49. The wait goes on.

  17. Eng 199-6

    Rangana Herath will resume. Ben Foakes is one away from a debut test fifty.

  18. One for our young audiences drive there...

    Here come the players! England to resume on 199-6...

  19. Get Involved

    Peter Blow: Re: 9.24 I’d rather go with John Noakes

    John Noakes

  20. 'Positive, yes, reckless, no'

    Alec Stewart
    Ex-England captain on The Cricket Social

    Joe RootGetty Images

    England want to be positive, I have no problem with that. But there is a difference between being positive and reckless.

    You don't need to go searching for runs so early on. It was vital that England batted as long as they could in the first innings after winning the toss. The mindset has to be reined back in.

    Joe Root was playing like it was a 50-over game and there is no need. It's a long old game, in a five-day game.