In the first Test against Sri Lanka at Old Trafford, Jamie Smith filled in admirably for absent captain Ben Stokes, scoring a crucial 72 not out. The 24-year-old wicketkeeper’s innings marked his third half-century in just four Test matches and helped England take a narrow first-innings lead of 23 runs. England posted 259-6 in response to Sri Lanka’s 236 on a rain-affected second day of the series.
Smith's composed knock demonstrated his ability to anchor the innings and guide the lower order. He built important partnerships, adding 62 runs with Harry Brook (who made 56) and 52 with Chris Woakes (25), before both were dismissed by left-arm spinner Prabath Jayasuriya, who finished with 2-58 from 21 overs.
England faced early trouble after rain delayed play, finding themselves at 67-3 in the 15th over. Sri Lankan pacer Asitha Fernando was the main threat, taking 3-68 in 14 overs. Earlier in the match, Sri Lanka had suffered a dramatic top-order collapse, losing three wickets without scoring in just 10 balls. Captain Dhananjaya de Silva’s 74 and debutant Milan Rathnayake’s impressive 72 from No. 9 gave Sri Lanka something to defend.
As play resumed under overcast skies, Fernando nearly had Dan Lawrence out for 10, but Lawrence successfully reviewed an LBW decision. However, Ben Duckett fell shortly after for just five runs, with Fernando overturning the initial not-out call. The pacer then dismissed Ollie Pope for six, who was captaining in Stokes' absence. Though Lawrence looked settled with a score of 30, he edged Vishwa Fernando to wicketkeeper Dinesh Chandimal.
Joe Root, who boasts a stellar record against Sri Lanka with over 1,000 runs in 11 Tests, added a promising 42 before falling to a sharp catch by Chandimal off Asitha Fernando, ending a 58-run partnership.
Smith, exuding confidence, lofted Jayasuriya for six before Brook reached his fifty in just 59 balls. However, Brook was bowled by a brilliant delivery from Jayasuriya that spun sharply to clip the top of off stump. With England at 187-5 after Brook's dismissal, Woakes soon followed, undone by another superb Jayasuriya delivery, leaving Smith to steer England to a modest lead as they rebuild their innings.