Foakes’ ton on debut puts England on top

Mathews wages lone battle as Sri Lanka falter to Moeen’s guiles

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Ben Foakes marked his Test debut with a century and impressed with his glovework, too, as England bowled out Sri Lanka for 203 before stretching their lead to 177 runs on the second day of the opening Test.

The tourists were 38 without loss at stumps yesterday after their bowlers, led by offspinner Moeen Ali, had earned them a handy 139-run first innings lead at the Galle International Stadium. Keaton Jennings was on 26 and debutant Rory Burns still with him on 11, hoping to make amends after managing only nine in the first innings.

All eyes had been on Foakes at the start of play, when he resumed, needing 13 runs for a century in his first Test innings with England on 321-8. The 25-year-old hit the first ball of the day for a boundary but was in danger of running out of partners after Jack Leach became off-spinner Dilruwan Perera’s fifth victim.

However, last man James Anderson survived long enough for Foakes to reach three figures before falling to paceman Suranga Lakmal. The Anderson-Foakes pairing was soon back in tandem in the field, combining to dismiss Dimuth Karunaratne caught behind off the second ball of the Sri Lankan innings.

With the hosts reeling on 40-4, former captain Angelo Mathews arrested the slide in a 75-run stand with skipper Dinesh Chandimal, who braved a groin injury to make 33.

Mathews hit three boundaries in his patient 52. England’s three-pronged spin attack grabbed eight of the 10 Sri Lankan wickets, with Moeen claiming 4-66 as Sri Lanka folded soon after crossing the 200-mark.

Virendra Saklani/Gulf News Mickey Arthur with players and support staff during a practice session at ICC Academy in Dubai.

AFP Sri Lanka’s Angelo Mathews scored a patient half-century against England during the second day of the first Test.