England's pace bowlers and Jamie Smith's maiden Test century propelled the hosts towards a commanding position against Sri Lanka in a thrilling series opener at Old Trafford on Friday.
According to details, England's bowlers exploited early conditions effectively, leaving Sri Lanka reeling at 107-4 in their second innings by tea on the third day, still trailing by 15 runs. The visitors had faced a dramatic collapse to 1-2 before lunch, a situation that saw them struggling to keep pace with England's first-innings total of 358.
Jamie Smith, standing out with an impressive 111, anchored England's innings. The wicketkeeper-batsman's century was a highlight, especially as he built upon his near-century performance against the West Indies. Despite Sri Lanka's brief recovery, they remained under pressure, with veteran Angelo Mathews unbeaten on 48 but lacking significant support.
England's bowlers, led by Chris Woakes and the express pace of Mark Wood, exploited the conditions to great effect. Sri Lanka's struggle was evident as they lost key wickets quickly, including Nishan Madushka and Kusal Mendis for ducks. Wood's pace and bounce proved too much for Dimuth Karunaratne and Dhananjaya de Silva, while Matthew Potts added to the pressure with a crucial lbw dismissal.
Smith's innings, completed in 136 balls with seven fours and a six, was a testament to his growing prowess. After a solid partnership with tailender Mark Wood, who contributed a quickfire 22, England's total was bolstered significantly before they were dismissed.
As England's bowlers took charge, Sri Lanka faced a daunting challenge. With weather interruptions extending the day's play, Sri Lanka's hopes dwindled under the relentless English pace attack. Despite some resistance from Mathews, the outcome seemed increasingly likely to favor the hosts as they pressed for victory in the series opener.
