Joe Root steers England to five-wicket win over Sri Lanka in first test

A well-managed partnership of 64 runs between Joe Root and Jamie Smith propelled England to a five-wicket victory over Sri Lanka on the fourth day of the first Test at Old Trafford on Saturday.

Root remained steadfast after England encountered a rocky beginning in their pursuit of a modest target of 205 runs, achieving his half-century off 108 deliveries.

"We had to put in considerable effort over the four days, but our bowling was exceptional throughout. Jamie Smith batted impressively, and Joe delivered a masterclass towards the end," remarked England captain Ollie Pope in an interview with the BBC.

"I believe Sri Lanka performed admirably and challenged us significantly."

England's innings began with the early dismissal of opener Ben Duckett, who edged a delivery to wicketkeeper Kusal Mendis for 11 runs, followed shortly by captain Ollie Pope, who was caught at slip for six runs.

Dan Lawrence (34) was the next to depart, adjudged lbw by Milan Rathnayake. Harry Brook (32) formed a 49-run partnership with Root before being caught and bowled by Prabath Jayasuriya, leaving England in a precarious position at 119-4.

Smith, who had scored his maiden Test century in the first innings, exhibited similar composure as Root, with England going an hour without hitting a boundary, regaining control before Smith was bowled by Asitha Fernando for 39 runs.

Root, who remained not out on 62, struck only his second four off the final ball of the match, securing a 1-0 lead for England in the three-Test series.

"Naturally, we anticipated that England would come at us aggressively," stated Sri Lanka captain Dhananjaya de Silva.

"We had our strategies in place, but we failed to execute them in the first innings, and our errors there ultimately cost us the match."

Sri Lanka commenced the day at 204-6, with Kamindu Mendis and Dinesh Chandimal navigating through a rain-affected first session to establish a 117-run partnership for the seventh wicket, surpassing the 300-run mark.

Kamindu (113) achieved his third Test century, maintaining the momentum with a blend of exquisite shot selection and relentless running between the wickets.

Matthew Potts took the wicket of Chandimal, who managed to score 79 runs while enduring discomfort from a thumb injury, thereby concluding Sri Lanka's innings at a total of 326. The visitors could only add 19 runs for their final three wickets. The second test is scheduled to commence at Lord's on Thursday.