ENG VS SL - 1st Test, Sri Lanka tour of England, 2024

The centuries by Jamie Smith and Kamindu Mendis. The fight shown by Angelo Mathews and Dhananjaya de Silva. The bowling contributions by the pacers of both teams. There were quite a few highlights in this game, but England were always ahead throughout the four days, despite the morning session of Day 4 dominated by Chandimal and Kamindu Mendis. England have gained a 1-0 lead in this 3-match Test series and it wouldn't be an easy task for Sri Lanka to bounce back against this England team with the kind of form their batters and bowlers are in. Should be interesting to see how the remaining two Tests pan out. For now, this is Nikhil signing off on behalf of Raju, Pradeep and Mukesh. Goodbye!

Stats round-up by Shashikant Singh

This is the first time since 2013 that England has won the first four Test matches of the home season.

Most 50+ scores in 4th inns for England
11 - Mike Atherton
11 - Alastair Cook
10 - Geoff Boycott
10 - Joe Root*

Most 50+ scores at Manchester in Tests
8 - Joe Root*
7 - Ian Bell
7 - Denis Compton

Most fifties in Test cricket
68 - Sachin Tendulkar
66 - S Chanderpaul
64 - Joe Root*
63 - Allan Border
63 - Rahul Dravid
62 - Ricky Ponting

Ollie Pope | England captain: I think it was the kind of pitch that suited new ball and we knew once we got past the 15-20 overs, we could really cash in. Credit to the bowlers for the way they led from the front, Woakes and Gus (Atkinson) managed to get them three down early on. I think that was very crucial. Everyone likes him (Root) when he's walking on the field, he's a greedy Yorshire man, there was a sense of calmness when he was out there, everyone had full confidence in him. There are always a few nerves early on in your Test career, but I knew he (Smith) had the calmness to deal with it. He has transformed his form in the Test arena, couldn't be any more happier for him. I enjoyed it on the field, reading the game and find ways to taking 20 wickets. It was tough to bowl on that pitch after 15-20 overs, it was taxing, but that's always going to be the case.

Jamie Smith | Player of the Match: It's a great milestone (on claiming his maiden international ton), having missed out by 5 runs in the previous series, it feels nice. To go over the line and to get us into the lead (in the first innings) is amazing. It's when you come back after a day's play and check those messages from all the people who have been part of your journey and supported you throughout, it really feels amazing. Very proud moment. To put us into that position (gain lead in the first innings) is very pleasing because we knew it is not going to be easy to bat 4th on that surface. Always a semi-difficult chase, it was attritional and it was a nice wicket, but they bowled nicely. Root played well and allowed everyone to play around him. Enjoyable team to be part of, to be out there and representing your country is a great honor really.

Dhananjaya de Silva | Sri Lanka captain: I would say that the second innings batting and bowling was better than the first, we haven't done well overall though. We didn't put the ball in the right areas, even in fielding, we didn't take our chances. I'm confident about our batting line-up, they will have to find ways to score runs in these conditions and against a disciplined bowling line-up like England. He has done well in all games so far (on Kamindu Mendis), averages 108 I think, he's got the runs and the rest of us need to support him well. We need to stay with our plans and execute them better in the next Test.

England had to chase down a target of 200-odd, and they never looked in a fuss despite losing wickets upfront. Their approach was always positive and despite a few nervy moments during the chase, their middle-order batters looked in control. Joe Root continued to do what he has been doing since his arrival in this format, while Harry Brook had a handy partnership with England's most reliable batter for the fourth wicket. Just when Brook looked in control, he was dismissed by Jayasuriya. With a century under his belt, Jamie Smith walked out with the same confidence and played another pivotal innings. Root in the company of Woakes finished off the formalities as England got over the line with 5 wickets. Stay around for the presentations..

In reply, Sri Lanka didn't get off to a great start in the second their innings either, however, Mathews made his experience count and played a crucial innings to lead Sri Lanka's fightback. Once his resilience came to an end, Kamindu Mendis and the injured Chandimal built a solid partnership for the 7th wicket. In fact, Sri Lanka didn't lose a single morning in today's morning session. It was in the post-lunch session that England managed to break that gritty partnership, and it didn't take them long to wipe off the tail following that. Kamindu Mendis' fine Test ton was the highlight of the first half of the day.

19:20 Local Time, 18:20 GMT, 23:50 IST: England go 1-0 up in the series as a result of this clinical win in Manchester. The England bowlers did a fine job by restricting Sri Lanka to 236 in the first innings, and it was an even better effort by their batters who helped them gain a sizeable first innings lead. Jamie Smith and Harry Brook made significant contributions by notching up a century and half-century respectively, while the other England batters chipped in with handy contributions to help them gain that pivotal first lead of 122.

P Jayasuriya to Root, FOUR, England win by 5 wickets! First Test victory for Ollie Pope as England's captain. A tossed up delivery by Jayasuriya and Root advances down the track to loft it over mid-on for a rollicking boundary. That's Game. Set. Match as the players have the customary handshakes. Root looks pleased as England's mainstay takes his team over the line. Woakes along with Root start walking back to the pavilion after completing the formalities..

P Jayasuriya to Root, no run, tossed up delivery on off, Root defends it off the front foot

Milan Rathnayake to Root, 1 run, back of a length on leg, clipped to fine leg by Root for a single

Milan Rathnayake to Root, no run, on a length at the stumps, Root attempts a reverse scoop, ends up getting a bottom edge that hits him on the body

Milan Rathnayake to Root, no run, almost a yorker length on middle and leg, flicked to square leg by Root

Milan Rathnayake to Root, no run, shimmies down the wicket to work this length ball across the line, gets a leading edge past the bowler

Milan Rathnayake to Root, no run, appeal for an lbw turned down. Sri Lanka don't have any reviews left either. This length ball nipped back in sharply and pinned the batter on the pads, but the impact was high and it might have missed leg as well

Milan Rathnayake to Woakes, 1 run, back of a length outside off, steered through backward point for a single