Half-centuries from Harry Brook and Jamie Smith helped England take first innings lead against Sri Lanka in the first Test at Old Trafford, Manchester.
On Day 2, the entire first session was washed out due to rain. The play resumed after the rain break with England on 22 runs for no wicket in reply to Sri Lanka’s first innings score of 236.
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Sri Lanka got off to good start as the speedster Asitha Fernando struck early in the afternoon session by dismissing Ben Duckett and Ollie Pope in quick succession.
Vishwa Fernando also joined the party, dismissing Daniel Lawrence as change of ends worked for the left-arm pacer.
Joe Root and Harry Brook steadied the ship for the hosts thereafter with a 58-run stand for the 4th wicket and just when the former was looking solid, Fernando struck again to claim his third wicket in the form of the set batter.
Brook continued to play his shots and notched up his fifty at the stroke of Tea break. The left-arm spinner Prabath Jayasuriya struck straight after the break to dismiss Brook for 56 runs.
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The wicket-keeper batter Jamie Smith proved his mettle by bringing up a crucial half-century for the hosts. Chris Woakes too made his presence felt with a handy contribution, but he was dismissed by Jayasuriya towards the end of the day.
England managed to gain a slender lead by the end of the day’s play. It started to drizzle and the conditions deteriorated thereafter, hence bad light brought early stumps on Day 2.
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