DOUBLE
ENGLAND captain Joe Root ticked off a few more records before Sri Lanka ensured not everything went his way on day three of the first Test.
Root reached a memorable 228 before he was the last out in England’s total of 421 – their best-ever tally in Galle, even if it should have been more.
While the skipper continued on his serene and merry way to his fourth double ton, level with Jack Hobbs and behind only Sir Alastair Cook (5) and Wally Hammond (7) in England’s all-time list, the rest of his team-mates found things tougher.
And the funk that saw them lose their last six wickets for just 49 followed them into the field as both Sri Lankan openers passed 50, with Lahiru Thirimanne enjoying an extra life when Dom Sibley dropped a simple gully chance.
It is mistakes like that which reveal the soft underbelly around England’s Test team which could hurt them against both India and Australia later in the year. Former skipper Michael Vaughan said: “They have a weakness with their spin. The spinners weren’t at their best allowing Sri Lanka to play them easily, and then there is their catching.
“That Sibley catch. You just can’t drop those against real quality. You certainly can’t drop them in a month’s time against Virat Kohli or in
10 months against Steve Smith.” Allowances must be made for the rustiness of players getting used to the cut and thrust of Test cricket after limited preparation.
But with Dan Lawrence also dropping a dolly in the first innings there are plenty of things for England to work on despite their dominance in this match.
There was a moment of joy for Jack Leach, who claimed his second wicket of the match just before the close of day three when he got one to turn and take the gloves of Kusal Mendis to Jos Buttler for 15.
Sri Lanka closed the day 156-2, 130 runs short of England’s first innings with eight wickets left.
But Leach admitted things had not gone as the tourists hoped. “It was tough work for us definitely,” he said. “They batted well, their openers did really well and we found it tough.
“I’ve been short of match overs for a little bit of time. You can do as much as you want in the nets but you need that stuff in games.”
Root became the first England captain to score two double hundreds in the job and the second fastest behind Kevin Pietersen to reach
8,000 Test runs.
“I was really pleased to get there,” he added. “I’ve changed a few things to get more rhythm into my batting. I’ve spent a lot of time with myself.”