[Source: BBC]
Joe Root’s nerveless half-century helped England overcome some significant scares to defeat Sri Lanka on a tense fourth day of the first Test at Emirates Old Trafford.
Set 205 for the lead in the three-match series, England were wobbling at 70-3 following the dismissals of Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope and Dan Lawrence.
Root and Harry Brook were required to show the utmost caution as spinner Prabath Jayasuriya caused problems from one end and the seamers probed from the other. Brook could have been caught by flying sub fielder Ramesh Mendis on four when England had 78.
The Yorkshire pair added 49 for the fourth wicket, but England still needed 85 when Brook was caught and bowled by Jayasuriya for 32.
Root was immaculate, while Jamie Smith provided momentum with 39 from 48 balls. Though Smith was bowled with 22 required, Root was joined by the dependable Chris Woakes and the former captain was 62 not out when a five-wicket win was sealed at 19:16 BST.
All this after England endured a concerning morning when Sri Lanka looked primed to post an even larger target.
Kamindu Mendis moved to a fine 113 and Dinesh Chandimal 79, their stand for the seventh wicket worth 117 as England struggled without the injured Mark Wood.
The second new ball came to the hosts’ rescue, Sri Lanka losing their last four wickets for only 19 runs to be bowled out for 326.
Wood, who has a thigh problem, seems likely to miss the second Test at Lord’s on Thursday, leaving Olly Stone set for his first cap in more than three years.
