Root delivers win despite superb Mendis century: 1st Test, Day 4 (Manchester)

Veteran Joe Root's fifty helped England overcome their nerves to defeat Sri Lanka by 5 wickets on a tense fourth day.

Struggling at 70-3, Root steadied the ship in a watchful stand of 49 with Harry Brook. Root finished on 62 not out to hand stand-in captain Ollie Pope victory in his first game.

Earlier, Kamindu Mendis scored a fine 113 and Dinesh Chandimal 79, their stand for the seventh wicket worth 117 extended Sri Lanka's second innings to 326. Their fine work was undone as Sri Lanka lost their last 4 wickets for 19.

England 358 (Smith 111, Brook 56, Asitha 4-102) and 205 for 5 (Root 62*) beat Sri Lanka 236 (Dhananjaya 74, Rathnayake 72) and 326 (Kamindu 113, Chandimal 79) by five wickets.

Aug 2024.