Root guides England home with unbeaten half century

Sri Lanka 236 and 326; England 358 and 205-5

- RORY DOLLARD

Joe Root shelved the more aggressive instincts of “Bazball” but kept England’s winning habit alive, defeating Sri Lanka by five wickets in the first Test to make it four victories from four this summer.

Presented with a chase of 205 early in the fourth afternoon of this series opener, England were unable to produce the kind of fourth-innings fireworks that have become their calling card over the last couple years, but emerged triumphant thanks to Root’s hard-working half-century.

After losing three wickets in a nervy spell before tea they were forced to pump the brakes in front of a becalmed crowd at Emirates Old Trafford, eventually getting the job done deep in the evening session and 58 overs in.

Root steadied the ship in a watchful stand of 49 with Harry Brook and made sure to see things through to the end, reaching 62 not out to hand stand-in captain Ollie Pope victory in his first game at the helm.

Root finished things with a four, one of only two in his three-hour stay.

Jamie Smith, fresh from a maiden Test century in the first innings, took it upon himself to release the shackles as the finish line hovered into view as he hit a dashing 39 that erased the prospect of the match creeping into a fifth day.