Sri Lanka bowled out on 236 runs against ENG in the first inning

The Visitors' Sri Lankan side flaked out after scoring 236 runs in the first test match against England on Wednesday. Captain Dhananjaya de Silva and debutant Milan Rathnayake played brilliant half-century innings for Sri Lanka. Thanks to the half-century innings of skipper Dhananjaya de Silva and Rathnayake, the Sri Lankan team recovered from an abysmal start. It collapsed for 236 runs in 74 overs on the first day of the first cricket Test against England on Wednesday. The 32-year-old right-handed batter Dhananjaya de Silva played the captain’s knock by scoring 74 runs for his side. 

At the same time, the 28-year-old debutant Rathnayake showed great courage and smashed 72 runs. After this, England scored 22 runs in 4 overs without any loss till the end of the day's play in their first innings. The left and right-hand combination of England Ben Duckket and Dan Lawrence is playing on the score of 13* and 09* respectively.

The man who impressed the most in the first innings was Rathnayake who was playing his first match, took charge after the tea break completed his half-century and took the team past 200 runs. The left-arm pacer Vishwa Fernando supported him from the other end. Vishwa and Milan shared a 50-run partnership for the ninth wicket. This partnership broke at the score of 226 when Fernando was run out and the last wicket to fall was Rathnayake who scored 72 runs in 135 balls. 

For Hosts England, Chris Woakes and Shoaib Bashir took the maximum of 3-3 wickets for their side. Gus Atkinson got 2 wickets while Mark Wood got one wicket.

Not a positive start for the Visitors

The visitors did not get the start from their top order as they were expecting in the English conditions. The 26-year-old fast bowler Gus Atkinson gave the team its first success in the sixth over by getting Dimuth Karunaratne (02) caught by wicketkeeper Jamie Smith. Chris Woakes gave Sri Lanka a double blow by sending Nishan Madhushanka (04) and Angelo Mathews on the score of duck to the pavilion in the next over. The left-handed batter Kusal Mendis (24) played some good shots but Mark Wood's bouncing ball touched his right thumb and went into the hands of Harry Brook at second slip.

Ollie Pope is leading England

England, playing in this series after a 3-0 win against the West Indies, is without captain Ben Stokes, who suffered a leg muscle injury during a domestic match this month in Hundred Ball Men’s 2024. Ollie Pope is leading the English side while Dan Lawrence has been given the responsibility of opening the innings in place of Zak Crowley. The right-handed batter Crowley's finger was fractured during the series against the West Indies.