First Test, day one: Sri Lanka 236; England 22-0Debutant’s 72 holds up England after early wickets
After being subjected to biting early season conditions on their previous five Test tours of England, Sri Lanka could have been forgiven for believing that the UK in August might yet be a time of sunshine and warmth. Manchester had other ideas, however, with the opening day at Old Trafford one of leaden skies, chill winds and spectators wrapped up in duvets on the balconies of the ground’s two adjoining hotels.
The tourists had also hoped for more than the one warm-up match they ended up with and when they stumbled to six for three inside the first half an hour, and then 92 for six shortly after lunch, Ollie Pope’s first day as England’s stand-in captain looked set to be a doozy. Bar losing a toss – and even then wanting to bowl had he won it – nearly every move went Pope’s way, albeit aided by some slightly wince-inducing shot selection.