Stuart Broad and Dom Bess run through lacklustre Sri Lanka on day one
An excellent bowling display from Stuart Broad and a fortunate five-for from Dom Bess allowed England to dismiss Sri Lanka for a paltry 135 on day one of the first Test in Galle.
The home side were rounded up in just 46.1 overs after deciding to bat first, initially undone by Broad’s quality on a pitch offering little obvious assistance to the seamers and then collapsing in a heap with a series of soft dismissals.
Broad was leading the attack in the absence of the omitted James Anderson and offered great value for his three for 20, but even Bess would admit to being flattered by his career-best return of five for 30.
Five wickets for Bessy!
We have bowled Sri Lanka out for 135 💪 pic.twitter.com/l4fpktkv45
— England Cricket (@englandcricket) January 14, 2021
The off-spinner was outbowled by slow left-armer Jack Leach, but still managed to run through a bizarrely compliant Sri Lankan order.
Kusal Perera reverse swept his second ball to slip, Niroshan Dickwella carved a long hop to point and Dasun Shanaka was caught behind via a ricochet off Jonny Bairstow’s ankle at short leg.
He finally earned a breakthrough when he turned one through a yawning gap left by Dilruwan Perera and ended a woeful batting effort when Wanindu Hasaranga lost middle and leg stump to an ill-conceived reverse.
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