Agencies
England nudged ahead of a spirited Sri Lanka on a truncated second day of the first Test at Emirates Old Trafford.
Half-centuries from Harry Brook and Jamie Smith took the hosts to 259-6, an advantage of 23 runs, after rain delayed the beginning of the day and bad light brought an early close.
The home side had to work hard to keep Sri Lanka at bay. At one stage, England lost three wickets for 37 runs to be 67-3 before Brook added 58 with Joe Root and 62 with wicketkeeper Smith.
When Brook was bowled for 56 by Prabath Jayasuriya’s ripping turner, England were five wickets down and still 49 behind Sri Lanka’s 236.
But Smith, already so at home in Test cricket in only his fourth match, found support from Chris Woakes to push England into the lead.
They shared England’s third half-century stand of the day before Woakes became another victim of the beguiling Jayasuriya.
Smith remained unbeaten on 72 when play was abandoned with 22 overs unused, while there is the threat of more bad weather across the final three days of the match.
Though England have a lead, the match is the balance. With Gus Atkinson at number eight, their tail is longer than it would usually be. There were fewer signs of uneven bounce than on day one, yet enough deliveries kept low to suggest England would not want to face a significant chase in the fourth innings.
England’s recovery was first led by Joe Root, who played sweet drives down the ground for his 46. It was a surprise when he gave an inside edge to impressive seamer Asitha Fernando.
Brook timed the ball beautifully and would have got more for some of his cover drives had the rain not slowed the outfield. He passed 50 for the 14th time in his 16 Tests and, like Root, his dismissal to Jayasuriya’s wonderful delivery came out of nowhere.
Smith bumped along in Brook’s slipstream, his first 30 runs coming from 40 deliveries including a straight six off Jayasuriya. Impressively, the Surrey man read the situation after Brook was out and his 52-run stand with Woakes was England’s most watchful period of play.
On 25 Woakes became the victim of another Jayasuriya magic ball, leaving Smith in the company of Atkinson when the light drew in. The weather could yet defeat both teams. Heavy overnight rain is forecast into Friday, with more predicted for the weekend.