August 22, 2024

Jamie Smith Shines in Tough Conditions as Asitha Fernando Keeps Sri Lanka in the Game

On a rain-affected second day of the first Test at Emirates Old Trafford, Sri Lanka’s bowlers kept the match tight. Asitha Fernando impressed with his skillful seam and swing bowling, while Prabath Jayasuriya delivered two exceptional balls amidst his otherwise steady left-arm spin.

England relied heavily on rookie keeper Jamie Smith, who scored a hard-earned 72 not out, his third half-century in five innings since stepping in for Ben Foakes. Harry Brook also contributed with a fifty, helping England recover from a shaky 125 for 4 to finish the day at 259 for 6, holding a narrow lead of 23 runs.

After two days of play, it seems England should still win this match comfortably, as they did during their series against the West Indies earlier in the summer. However, the quality and determination of the Sri Lankan bowlers have made England work harder than usual. Asitha Fernando, in particular, was outstanding across his 14 overs, delivering crucial spells, including an effective period of reverse swing despite the gloomy conditions.

After a rainy start to the day, the pitch at Old Trafford was ideal for seam bowling when play resumed at 1:15 pm. Asitha took full advantage with his aggressive approach and full-length deliveries, creating problems for the batsmen under the heavy cloud cover and bright floodlights. His performance peaked from the very first ball of his second over, when he trapped Dan Lawrence lbw. Although the decision was overturned on review, with the ball shown to be going over the stumps, Asitha used this information to adjust his bowling effectively.

After two days of play, it seems England should still win this match comfortably, as they did during their series against the West Indies earlier in the summer. However, the quality and determination of the Sri Lankan bowlers have made England work harder than usual. Asitha Fernando, in particular, was outstanding across his 14 overs, delivering crucial spells, including an effective period of reverse swing despite the gloomy conditions.

Asitha Fernando Shines with Seam Bowling as Sri Lanka Exerts Pressure on England

After a rainy start to the day, the pitch at Old Trafford was ideal for seam bowling when play resumed at 1:15 pm. Asitha took full advantage with his aggressive approach and full-length deliveries, creating problems for the batsmen under the heavy cloud cover and bright floodlights. His performance peaked from the very first ball of his second over, when he trapped Dan Lawrence lbw. Although the decision was overturned on review, with the ball shown to be going over the stumps, Asitha used this information to adjust his bowling effectively.

Despite the challenging conditions, Sri Lanka managed to extract significant reverse swing from the typically abrasive Old Trafford pitch. This put pressure on England’s batsmen, Joe Root and Harry Brook, who had to stay sharp as their 58-run partnership progressed at more than five runs per over. Milan Rathnayake, Sri Lanka’s standout bowler from the first day, was hit for three fours in one over as he struggled to maintain his length. However, it was Asitha Fernando’s return to the attack that secured the most crucial wicket of the day.

Root, who had scored 42 off 56 balls with his usual precision, was dismissed by Asitha in a clever piece of bowling. Root expected the ball to swing in, as previous deliveries had, but this one stayed straight and caught the edge, which was caught by Dinesh Chandimal. This left England at a precarious 125 for 4.

Brook and Smith’s Resilience Amidst Sri Lanka’s Tactical Adjustments

Brook, however, continued to play aggressively, timing his shots well and exploiting gaps in Sri Lanka’s defensive field. He reached his half-century off 59 balls, marking his 14th fifty in just 25 Test innings. While it seemed Brook might need something special to be dismissed, Prabath Jayasuriya provided the breakthrough shortly after tea.

Sri Lanka’s left-arm spinner had been steady but not particularly threatening for most of the day. However, he suddenly delivered a stunning ball that spun and bounced sharply, hitting the top of off-stump. Harry Brook was left stunned by this unplayable delivery. Chris Woakes would experience something similar 18 overs later, falling to one of the few spinning deliveries that deviated all day.

Between these two dismissals, Jamie Smith achieved his third Test fifty, the hardest-earned of his career. He had to work hard early on against the swinging ball but showed his determination with a huge six off Prabath Jayasuriya. His real skill was evident in the middle of his innings, especially during a tough period in the 40s when Milan Rathnayake managed to induce two inside edges with his probing deliveries.

Woakes provided solid support for Smith as England, missing Ben Stokes, focused on building a long innings rather than rushing for quick runs. Sri Lanka’s bowlers dominated during this period, but their tactics didn’t adjust well. They kept England’s run rate below three an over during the 52-run partnership, staying competitive in the cricket match.

As the light started to fade, shortly after Chris Woakes was dismissed, Sri Lanka made no attempt to bowl spin just to fill the overs, unlike England on the first day. Instead, Dhananjaya de Silva promptly took his team off the field, with six wickets already in hand. This allowed the fast bowlers to get some rest overnight before continuing their effort in what is turning out to be a closely contested match.