Angelo Mathews shows resilience in Sri Lanka's match against England

In a challenging start to the Test match, Sri Lanka found themselves reeling after losing their first three wickets for just six runs, limping to lunch at 80 for five. Despite this rocky beginning, the team showed resilience, particularly through the efforts of their players, who managed to regain some footing in the game. Notably, a player who had previously struggled in the first innings stepped up, reminiscent of his past heroics at Headingley, scoring 65 runs before being dismissed by Chris Woakes. The match echoed a previous encounter between the two teams, where Sri Lanka had also faced early setbacks but managed to recover. In that earlier match, Sri Lanka scored 257 in their first innings, followed by England's 365, before a remarkable 160-run innings from Mathews led to a comeback victory. This time, however, while Sri Lanka displayed flashes of class, they struggled to maintain consistency, with players appearing disorganized in the field. As the game progressed, Sri Lanka's bowling strategy seemed to falter, with coach Ian Bell acknowledging that the team was not performing at its best. The situation worsened as England's innings concluded just before lunch, extending the session to make up for lost time due to rain. England's Mark Wood made an immediate impact, taking a wicket with his first delivery, further compounding Sri Lanka's woes. Overall, while individual performances provided glimpses of potential, Sri Lanka's lack of cohesion and strategy left them in a precarious position as they faced a determined England side.