Five things you may have missed from Galle as England march on

Joe Root and his England side may have entered the final morning with a hint of nerves following the frantic finale the night before, losing three wickets in spectacular fashion. Thankfully for those touring, Dan Lawrence and Jonny Bairstow saw them to victory by seven wickets.

As England look to build off the back of this win and continue into the second and final Test of the series, also being played at Galle, it will be interesting to see whether Root fields the same side or chops and changes. Before that begins though, here are “five things you may have missed” in the game and the result.

Sibley and Crawley struggle against spin

Dom Sibley is bowled by Lasith Embuldeniya
Credit: Sky Sports

With England having searched for years for a solid opening partnership, the old issue reared its head, but this time it is highly unlikely any action will be taken. After recording opening stands of ten and three, and in four innings the highest score between Dom Sibley and Zak Crawley being the latter’s first innings score of nine, it is something the coaching department will be eagerly working at ahead of the second match starting on Friday. Playing against the new ball with seam is one challenge the pair seem to have control over; yet facing spin with the new ball is a completely different kettle of fish. Chris Silverwood will be having his barrage of young spinners throwing down new balls in the nets to the top order in between matches.

Captain Root’s new double ton record

Joe Root surpassed 8,000 test runs in his first innings knock
Credit: Sky Sports

They say that every good captain leads from the front, and the current incumbent is absolutely doing so. Root has achieved a feat that no other England Captain has managed. After scoring 226 against New Zealand in Hamilton in 2019, he has become the first England Captain to score 200 in an innings overseas, twice. Only three others had previously brought up the “daddy hundred” away from home; Alastair Cook, Len Hutton and Ted Dexter. The only other captains in the history of Test cricket to do such an achievement are Stephen Fleming (three) and Graeme Smith (four).

Jos snaffles his first Test stumping

After initially appealing for a catch, it was quick thinking to remove the bails
Credit: ESPNCricinfo

It had been a long time coming, and especially given the fact that Ben Foakes, believed to be the superior gloveman of the two, was on looking from the sidelines. The pressure on Jos Buttler to not afford the Sri Lankan batsmen any second chances was magnified given Foakes’ performances in 2018-19 on the previous tour. Whe Dilruwan Perera left his crease and his foot rested on the line, it was quick reactions to whip off the bails. In his 48^th Test, playing 27 of these as a wicketkeeper, it was the longest wait for a Test stumping by any English Wicketkeeper and a monkey that Buttler will be happy to have off his back.

The Spin twins end 39-year wait

Jack Leach and Dom Bess took 14 wickets in the Test, the fourth highest total in Test history for England
Credit: Sky Sports

The last time that two England spinners took five-fors in a Test, before Dom Bess and Jack Leach’s feat in Galle, was 1982 when Derek Underwood and John Emburey (5 for 28 and 6 for 33 respectively) rolled over the Sri Lankan order in England’s first ever Test in the country. Coincidentally enough, the result of that match in Colombo 39 years previously was also a seven-wicket victory.

England continue on a roll

There is fierce competition for places in this side in all conditions
Credit: ESPNCricinfo

This victory brought up their fifth successive win for England in Sri Lanka. Since their eight-wicket win in Colombo in the second and final match of the series in April 2012, they have won all matches played, including winning 3-0 in 2018-19 on their previous tour and the Test which has just concluded. Only in South Africa have England ever won more consecutive Test matches overseas; where they ran out victors in the first eight matches they played, between 1889 and 1899.