Jamie Smith’s unbeaten 72 propelled England to a 23-run lead over Sri Lanka on day two of the opening Test on Thursday at Old Trafford where only 57 overs were bowled after the first session was washed out and bad light stopped play.
Harry Brook’s 56 guided England within reach of Sri Lanka’s first innings total and the hosts were at 259-6 with Smith at the crease alongside Gus Atkinson when the teams returned to the pavilion as the skies darkened amid a light drizzle.
After posting 236 in the first innings on Wednesday, Sri Lanka could not use their fast bowlers at the end of day one due to bad light as England scored 22 runs off spin in four overs.
But after an early lunch due to the wet outfield on Thursday, the tourists took full advantage of the cloudy conditions in Manchester to pick up three wickets in the first hour that put England on the backfoot.
Asitha Fernando opened the bowling on day two and trapped Ben Duckett leg-before in his second over with an inswinging delivery, with the opener walking back after Sri Lanka successfully reviewed.
He then broke through stand-in skipper Ollie Pope’s defence to hit the top of off stump while his left-arm fast bowling counterpart Vishwa Fernando had Dan Lawrence — opening in place of the injured Zak Crawley — caught behind for 30.
Joe Root and Brook steadied the ship with a 58-run stand but Asitha struck again when he had Root fishing outside off stump, nicking the ball to wicketkeeper Dinesh Chandimal who smartly scooped it into his gloves before it fell short.
Brook, however, had the measure of Sri Lanka’s bowling and scored at a healthy strike rate that has characterised England’s ‘Bazball’ approach in home tests as he remained unbeaten on 53.
The 25-year-old smashed four boundaries while Jamie Smith (22 not out) also danced down the track to smash Prabath Jayasuriya into the stands over the long on boundary.
The pair notched up England’s second fifty-run partnership (51) before tea but Jayasuriya then got into the act in the third session when he had Brook bowled off a delivery that pitched in line with the leg stump and hit the top of off.
The left-arm spinner struck again when Chris Woakes, who had patiently knocked 25 runs off 65 balls, completely missed another ball that turned viciously and crashed into his stumps, leaving the all-rounder absolutely bewildered.
But Smith continued to trouble the south Asian side and brought up his third fifty in four tests since his debut last month.
The day’s play was abandoned after England faced 61 overs and umpires told Sri Lanka that they could not bowl their fast bowlers in the fading light, with the covers coming on as the players walked off.