Debutant pacer of Sri Lanka Milan Ratnanayake shattered a 41-year-old record in test cricket in his first-ever inning of international cricket. Ratnanayake was playing his first test match in Manchester against England, where the Sri Lankan top-order collapsed against English bowlers.
Ratnanayake came to the crease when Sri Lanka’s score was 113/7, and from there he formed a solid partnership of 63 runs for the 8th wicket with his captain Dhanajaye de Silva and took Sri Lanka to a respectable total of 236.
During his endeavor to take Sri Lanka out of the dangerous situation, Milan Ratnanayake played a 72-run knock to set a new world record in test cricket—the highest score by a number nine batsman. Previously, this record was in the name of former Indian fast bowler Balwinder Sandhu, who played a 71-run inning against Pakistan in 1983 in the Hyderabad test.
The introduction of English spinner Shoaib Bashir into the bowling attack brought an end to Rathnayake’s heroic attempt. Bashir prompted Rathnayake to take a drive shot with a tossed-up delivery. The batsman from Sri Lanka attempted to hit the ball high, but his effort did not achieve the necessary elevation, and Woakes made an easy catch that sent Ratnanayake back to the dressing room.
After wrapping up Sri Lanka on 236, the opening pair for England, Ben Duckett and Daniel Lawrence got the team off to a quick start. Even though England’s regular opener Zak Crawley was absent, the duo helped England take advantage in the game. Duckett and Lawrence combined to send the ball over the boundary rope three times in the course of four overs.
Relying on their ‘Bazball’ style of play, the hosts will be eager to score runs on Day 2; England finished Day 1 of the Manchester Test with the score of 22/0.
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