Image Source: BBC
[Saba Sports News] England claimed a five-wicket victory over Sri Lanka in Manchester, taking a 1-0 lead in the three-match series. After dismissing Sri Lanka for 326 in their second innings, England faced a challenging chase of 204 runs. The team found themselves in a tough spot at 70/3, giving Sri Lanka hope of a comeback.
At this point, England abandoned their usual aggressive “Bazball” approach. Joe Root, batting at number four, steadied the innings with an unbeaten 62 off 128 balls, while Harry Brook also took his time to settle, helping secure the win.
After the match, stand-in captain Ollie Pope explained the strategic shift, saying, “Another day you might see us try and knock that score off in 20 overs fewer, but that was the nature of the pitch and a pretty slow outfield as well. This is not just a one-dimensional team where we want to go out and score quickly.”
He added, “It’s a team where we want to keep reading situations slightly better and try and be as ruthless as we can. It’s not all about just trying to score as fast as we can; it’s about getting the job done as well.”
Pope also provided an update on Mark Wood’s injury, noting that the pacer was ruled out of Day 4 and might miss the second Test at Lord’s. “We’re going to see how he pulls up and go from there. Nothing is set in stone,” Pope said.