The Sri Lankan men’s cricket team is in England for a three-match Test series, which is set to commence with the first Test at Old Trafford in Manchester on Wednesday (August 21). This series will marks a crucial opportunity for both teams to move upwards in the points table of the ongoing cycle of the World Test Championship (WTC).
England will be without their regular captain, Ben Stokes who sustained a hamstring injury while playing in the Hundred, ruling him out of the Test series against Sri Lanka. In Stokes’ absence, Ollie Pope has been appointed as the stand-in captain, with Harry Brook stepping up as the vice-captain. Sri Lanka arrives in England with a well-rounded squad led by Dhananjaya de Silva. The team boasts a blend of experienced campaigners, such as Angelo Mathews and Dimuth Karunaratne, and emerging talents like Milan Rathnayake and Nisala Tharaka.
- Total Matches: 85
- Matches won batting first: 32
- Matches won bowling first: 16
- Average 1st innings Score: 332
- Average 2nd innings Score: 274
- Average 3rd innings Score: 224
- Average 4th innings Score: 168
- Highest total recorded: 656/8 (255.5 Overs) by Australia vs England
- Lowest total recorded: 58/10 (21.4 Overs) by India vs England
- Highest score chased: 294/4 (88 Overs) by England vs New Zealand
- Lowest score defended: 120/10 (49.4 Overs) by England vs Sri Lanka
Also READ: England’s Ben Stokes loses his temper at accusations of favouring The Hundred over county matches
Manchester Weather Forecast:
The 1st Test at Old Trafford between England and Sri Lanka will see a mix of conditions. Day 1 begins with partly cloudy skies and mild temperatures around 18°C, ensuring good playing conditions. Days 2 and 3 are expected to be cloudy with light showers, particularly on Thursday, which might disrupt play. Day 4 will bring more showers with temperatures dipping to 11°C, potentially causing interruptions. The final day will see a mix of sunshine and clouds, providing a better chance of uninterrupted play, with temperatures around 18°C.
Head to head record between England and Sri Lanka in Test cricket:
- Matches Played: 18
- England Wins: 8
- Sri Lanka Wins: 3
- Drawn Matches: 7
- England’s Highest Total Against Sri Lanka: 575
- England’s Lowest Total Against Sri Lanka: 81
- Sri Lanka’s Highest Total Against England: 628
- Sri Lanka’s Lowest Total Against England: 81
ENG vs SL, 1st Test: Playing XI:
England: Dan Lawrence, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope (c), Joe Root, Harry Brook (vc), Jamie Smith (w), Chris Woakes, Gus Atkinson, Matthew Potts, Mark Wood, Shoaib Bashir
Sri Lanka: Dhananjaya De Silva (C), Dimuth Karunaratne, Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis (VC), Angelo Mathews, Dinesh Chandimal, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Vishwa Fernando, Kasun Rajitha, Prabath Jayasuriya, Ramesh Mendis
Also READ: “Rob Key will be under pressure,”: Nasser Hussain rips apart ECB and broadcasters over Ben Stokes’ injury
News Summary:
- ENG vs SL, 1st Test: Old Trafford Pitch Report, Manchester Weather Forecast, Head to Head Record | England vs Sri Lanka 2024
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