England make terrific start to first Test in Sri Lanka as Joe Root’s side limit hosts to 65-3

England make terrific start to first Test in Sri Lanka as Joe Root’s side limit hosts to 65-3 at lunch on day one… with Stuart Broad taking two wickets and Dom Bess gifted early dismissal

  • England made a strong start in the first Test match against Sri Lanka in Galle 
  • Stuart Broad first dismissed Lahiru Thirimanne for 4 in the seventh over
  • Sri Lanka No 3 Kusal Mendis then went for a duck off seamer Broad’s bowling 
  • Dom Bess got in on the action, as Kusal Perera’s reverse sweep went all wrong 
  • Debutant Dan Lawrence dropped Dinesh Chandimal on 22 just before lunch 

England made a brilliant start to the first Test match against Sri Lanka as the tourists restricted the hosts to 65-3 at lunch on day one. 

Stuart Broad took two wickets early on, with Lahiru Thirimanne and Kusal Mendis going early doors, while spinner Dom Bess took a wicket in his first over as Kusal Perera mistimed his reverse sweep and Joe Root caught at slip and the hosts looked in trouble on 25-3. 

It could have been even better for the tourists, with debutant Dan Lawrence dropping Dinesh Chandimal on 22 off the bowling of Jack Leach just before lunch, but the hosts recovered to 65-3 at the interval. 

More to follow…  

Stuart Broad took two early wickets as England made a strong start to the first Test in Sri Lanka