Sri Lanka dig in after Jamie Smith lays platform for England’s victory push

Sri Lanka dig in after Jamie Smith lays platform for England’s victory push

Sri Lanka (236 & 204-6) lead England (358) by 82 runsAngelo Mathews leads resistance after Smith’s 111

On the third day in Manchester, after Jamie Smith’s maiden Test century had powered England to a commanding first innings lead of 122 runs, it looked for all money like Sri Lanka could potentially fold, not least when Mark Wood forced Dinesh Chandimal off to hospital for X-rays on a suspected broken thumb.

Bazball’s human cannonball had already struck with his first ball of the innings and with this vicious blow – an 89mph brute that reared off the Old Trafford surface – Sri Lanka appeared to be 74 for four in effect, still 48 runs short of making England bat again. Ollie Pope, in his first Test as stand-in captain, was eyeing the perfect start.

Continue reading…

Please follow and like us:
Pin Share