England will be a bit happier side than Sri Lanka after the two days of play in the first of the three Test matches in Manchester on Thursday, August 22 but the visitors won't feel that they are out of it, at least just yet. England took a midget lead of 23 runs and still have a set batter in Jamie Smith, with four wickets in hand and might just be a touch ahead of Sri Lanka but the whole batting innings on the second day was a sea-saw for the home side as whenever the hosts threatened to run away with the game, Asitha Fernando and Co. would take a wicket.
The second day started with Asitha Fernando pegging England back early with a couple of wickets. Ben Duckett was trapped LBW in front while the stand-in skipper Ollie Pope was cleaned up in his first innings as England captain for just 6. Dan Lawrence, the new opener however, wasn't afraid of playing his shots despite the ball seaming in overcast conditions at Old Trafford.
Lawrence's defiance lasted only a few overs as Vishwa Fernando got him caught behind and England were in a bit of trouble at 67/3. Joe Root and Harry Brook, the two senior men of the team now in Ben Stokes' absence took the mantle in their hands to get their team through shaky waters. Both Root and Brook as per the Bazball menu weren't afraid to play their shots but respected good deliveries as well, especially from Asitha Fernando.
The duo brought up a fifty-run stand and the moment it looked like England were starting to flex their muscles, Asitha got the big wicket of Root. Root didn't look in any discomfort but a lapse of concentration under overcast sky meant that Sri Lanka stayed in the game.
Brook and Smith played aggressively, stitching a 60-run partnership as the ball got older and softer. Sri Lanka were desperately in need of a wicket as the deficit was less than fifty and Prabath Jayasuriya bowled a pearler to get rid of vice-captain Brook, who played the wrong line. Jayasuriya got just enough to turn to beat Brook's bat and England were five down.
Chris Woakes built a little partnership with Smith, who smashed his third Test fifty in his fourth appearance in the format for England. However, Jayasuriya accounted for Woakes' wicket as even though England took a minor lead, Sri Lanka have just about hung around but will have to ensure that the 23-run lead doesn't get stretched to 80 or 100, given Smith is batting on 72 and is capable to launch an attack on their bowling attack.
