1st Test
Day-3 Morning Session Highlights:
Jamie Smith’s debut century has put the England team in control
At The Lunch of Day-3:
Sri Lanka scored 236 (1st Innings) & 10/2 (2nd Innings), where as England scored 358 (1st Innings).
So, finally Sri Lanka trail by 112 runs.
Jamie Smith, at 24, became the youngest England wicketkeeper to score a Test century, propelling the hosts to a commanding position in the Old Trafford Test.
His maiden ton helped England post 358, securing a substantial first-innings lead of 122.
In response, Sri Lanka faced a rapid collapse as Chris Woakes and Gus Atkinson struck early, leaving the visitors struggling at 10/2 by the break.
Smith wasted no time on the third day, punishing Asitha Fernando’s full-length deliveries and steadily rotating the strike with Gus Atkinson to move into the nineties.
Atkinson’s solid defense allowed Smith to trust his partner, and he eventually reached his century off just 136 balls as England surpassed 300.
Sri Lanka briefly fought back when Milan Rathnayake broke the partnership with a leg-side delivery that strangled Atkinson.
Shortly after, Smith’s outstanding innings ended when Prabath Jayasuriya, who had been tirelessly bowling, claimed his wicket.
It was another unremarkable delivery, with Smith getting a faint edge to the keeper while attempting to cut a short and wide ball.
Mark Wood then provided some fireworks, smashing boundaries off his third and fourth deliveries and pulling Asitha Fernando for a massive six.
However, his entertaining cameo was cut short as Asitha bowled him, and Vishwa Fernando finished off the innings, leaving the Sri Lankan openers to face a tricky period before lunch.
What followed was a nightmare for Sri Lanka, as they lost two wickets in just three overs.
Chris Woakes struck with the third ball of the innings, sending Nishan Madushka back for a duck with a delivery that sharply hit the top of off stump.
In the next over, Atkinson found Kusal Mendis’ outside edge, caught by the keeper, dismissing him for a duck as well.
The experienced pair of Dimuth Karunaratne and Angelo Mathews now faces an uphill battle when play resumes.
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