Cricket

Sri Lanka's batting lineup faced a dramatic collapse on the opening day of the first Test against England at Old Trafford, losing their first three wickets for no runs in just 10 balls. However, a resilient performance from Dhananjaya de Silva and debutant fast bowler Milan Rathnayake helped the visitors recover to a respectable total of 236 all out.De Silva, who won the toss and elected to bat, played a captain's knock, scoring a top-scoring 74. Rathnayake, playing in his first Test match, made a valuable contribution with a gritty 72, his third first-class fifty. The pair forged a crucial eighth-wicket partnership of 63, which helped Sri Lanka regain some momentum after their early setbacks.England's bowlers were impressive, with Chris Woakes leading the charge with 3-32 in 11 overs. Off-spinner Shoaib Bashir also played a key role, taking 3-55 in 23 overs, including the crucial wicket of De Silva.Sri Lanka's initial collapse was a major setback, with Dimuth Karunaratne, Nishan Madushka, and Angelo Mathews all falling cheaply. Kusal Mendis showed some resistance with 24, but he too was dismissed by a superb delivery from Mark Wood.Despite the early setbacks, De Silva and Rathnayake showed great determination and resilience. De Silva played with authority, hitting 10 fours and a six, while Rathnayake played a more cautious role, but still managed to score at a decent pace.England's bowlers were unable to break through the De Silva-Rathnayake partnership until the 72nd over, when Bashir finally dismissed Rathnayake. However, by that time, Sri Lanka had already reached a respectable total and had given themselves a chance to compete in the match.