Player of the Match
Player of the Match

Match Centre

Statistics

Best performances - Batsmen

JE Root
JE Root
228(321) 18x4 - 1x6
Control %90%
  • Productive Shot
  • sweep shot
  • 48 runs
  • 6x4 - 0x6
12 27 27 16 36 5 37 67
HDRL Thirimanne
HDRL Thirimanne
111(251) 12x4 - 0x6
Control %88%
  • Productive Shot
  • flick
  • 39 runs
  • 2x4 - 0x6
9 7 26 18 29 5 5 12

Best performances - Bowlers

DM Bess
DM Bess
O10.1
M3
R30
W5
Eco2.95
RHB
OFFLEG
1W1W
1W
  • FTFULL TOSS
  • YYORKER
  • FFULL LENGTH
  • GGOOD LENGTH
  • SGSHORT OF GOOD LENGTH
  • SSHORT LENGTH
LHB
LEGOFF
1W
1W
MJ Leach
MJ Leach
O41.5
M6
R122
W5
Eco2.91
RHB
OFFLEG
1W
1W3W
  • FTFULL TOSS
  • YYORKER
  • FFULL LENGTH
  • GGOOD LENGTH
  • SGSHORT OF GOOD LENGTH
  • SSHORT LENGTH
LHB
LEGOFF

Match Details

Toss

Sri Lanka , elected to bat first

Player Of The Match

Series result

England led the 2-match series 1-0

Match number

Season

Hours of play (local time)

10.00 start, Lunch 12.00-12.40, Tea 14.40-15.00, Close 17.00

Match days

14,15,16,17,18 January 2021 (5-day match)

Test debut

TV Umpires

Reserve Umpire

Match Referee

Points

England 60, Sri Lanka 0

Scorecard Summary

SRI LANKA 135(46.1 OVERS)
1ST INNINGS

ENGLAND 421(117.1 OVERS)
1ST INNINGS

SRI LANKA 359(136.5 OVERS)
2ND INNINGS

ENGLAND 76/3(24.2 OVERS)
2ND INNINGS

Scorer: @Thilak_Rama | Commentator: Alan Gardner

10.50am: They think it's Galle over... it is now but we've got another Test starting here in a few days, so don't even think about going anywhere. George has whistled up a final wrap of the game, and we'll have more post-match treats for you to come. In the meantime, there's been some rain in Brisbane, but play is about to resume in the fourth Test between Australia and India, so why not get involved? Thanks from myself, Miller, Shashank and Thilak, your comments kept us going in the small hours, and it's been a lot of fun. Back for more on Friday. Cheerio!

10.38am: Time for the match presentations, starting with stand-in Sri Lanka captain Dinesh Chandimal: "I think it was a crucial toss to win, but the first innings cost us the game. You have to get a big total in the first innings, so that cost us on this kind of track. Credit to Thirimanne, Angelo, Kusal Janith, everyone did their bit as a batting unit in the second innings, and another 70-80 runs it could have been a different story. We have to take the positives and look to the next one. [What went wrong?] First day, coming from South Africa, we played like we were still there - and that cost us. We'll learn from our mistakes, did well in the second, so that's a plus. Stick to the team plan, and first innings will be crucial [in the second Test]."

England captain Joe Root is also named Man of the Match: "To come here with little preparation, and play in the manner we have has been really impressive. Great effort yesterday, not a lot fell for us, and for the two spinners to get five-fors is a brilliant effort, particularly with the little cricket they've played. Series like these are always tough but without the prep it's testament to their characters. To perform like we did after lunch was a good effort, we'll keep looking to get better, but a really pleasing start. [Spinners] Brilliant achievement, think the exciting thing is there's more to come from this group, most important thing is we have that attitude into the next Tests. [Bubbles] Number of challenges, really important looking to perform as a group, find ways to stay together, something we did well this game. [Innings] Thing that pleased me the most was my mindset, felt I got into a good place, managed to get my feet apart and get forward and back well, good balance between attack and defence and didn't waver. People have been critical of my conversion, so nice to go and make a big one."

10.22am: Nary a flutter, Bairstow and Lawrence knock 'em off and that's 1-0 in the series and 60 WTC points in the bag. England's second consecutive win in Galle, and fourth straight here in Sri Lanka - all set up by skittling the home side for 135, and then riding on Joe Root's fourth Test double, though the the second half of the match was more of an even contest. Sri Lanka couldn't pull out a miracle on the final morning, but they'll take plenty from their second-innings effort with the bat, and we know they have the slow-bowling tools to hurt England. The second Test, starting on Friday, should be a good'un

Simon Doull has grabbed Jonny Bairstow, who hit the winning runs on his comeback to the Test side, for a quick word: "Pretty tough [to bat], saw a lot more balls were raising off a length, some chunks coming out and it was tricky. Needed to be precise in your movements, bouncing more going forward so playing as much off the back foot in the second innings. [Test return?] Fantastic, what you want to do, and to be on the winning side. You know the challenges in the subcontinent. Rooty in the first innings, Leach and Bessy, and the quicks. Someone like Woody, the hard toil he's put in... Huge credit to those guys. [Final morning] You need 36, that's the be all and end all, doesn't matter how you get there. Have to be looking to score otherwise there's a good ball coming your way. Go out and be busy, running between the wickets is huge, pressuring them in the field. [Bubble life?] It's tricky, happy to have the Christmas break after six nights at home since August. You go from the ground back to the hotel and back again. We're not the only ones, staff and commentators, but it's tricky. Wins and moments like this make it special. [No crowds] We've got a lone ranger from the Barmy Army, fantastic he's up there and watching us. Fans back home, we thank you all for your support. All the hard work is hopefully being enjoyed."

24.2
4
MDK Perera to Bairstow, FOUR, floated up and swept hard from middle and leg, that will do it for England! A seven-wicket win, and they can all go and sit on the beach (or not, as the case may be)

"Looks like a good debut for Lawrence. 73 first innings and what looks like a not out under a little bit of pressure after the 3 quick wickets." Spot on, Dawolf. Essex boy, innit?

24.1
0
MDK Perera to Bairstow, no run, round the wicket, dobbed on the stumps and nudged to leg

Any nerves, England fans?

END OF OVER:
24 | 5 Runs | ENG: 72/3

  • Dan Lawrence21 (52b)
  • Jonny Bairstow31 (63b)
  • Lasith Embuldeniya12-3-29-2
  • Dilruwan Perera11-2-30-0
23.6
0
Embuldeniya to Lawrence, no run, flighted, gives it a wristy slap to extra cover
23.5
2
Embuldeniya to Lawrence, 2 runs, spinning away outside off, Lawrence goes back and cuts behind point... almost there now

PhilFour: "I turn into a pumpkin in less than 15 minutes if England don't wrap it up!! " Ah, fair enough

23.4
1
Embuldeniya to Bairstow, 1 run, tossed up, drifting a little on to leg stump, YJB pokes into the leg side and they scamper through as the bowler gives chase
23.3
0
Embuldeniya to Bairstow, no run, skids into the front pad, Dickwella leads a screeched appeal... looked like some bat on that

England 4th innings Partnerships

WktRunsPlayers
1st3DP SibleyZ Crawley
2nd9JM BairstowZ Crawley
3rd2JM BairstowJE Root
4th62JM BairstowDW Lawrence