By the time Sri Lanka's seventh wicket had fallen for the second time, everything had played out the way it was predicted to.
Sri Lanka's fragile batting lineup was frozen in the face of Mark Wood and Gus Atkinson's rapid bouncer barrage, and a familiar feeling akin to the first day of the Lord's Test match against the West Indies was creeping in. The moans of one-sided Test series and hollowness of watching England rout a a side felled by the Lions last week were similar to what they were that day.
As Milan Rathnayake walked to the crease, those Googling his first-class average would've been met with one in the mid teens, and two half-centuries in his 40-match career. Fine for a No.9, but concerning given at least part of his selection was with the intent to bolster Sri Lanka's lower-order. But two hours later, the game had changed.
Given a spell against Wood before tea, Rathnayake looked more comfortable than most of those above him, keeping his movements off the front and back foot deliberate, ducking bouncers and pouncing on anything on a hittable length. He was helped by Matthew Potts being brought back into the attack late in the session. Recalled to the side after over a year, Potts was wayward in the morning and looked similarly ineffective in the afternoon, his lack of control the most worrying aspect.
England are off to a rapid start after Sri Lanka posted 236, aided by debutant Milan Rathnayake's resilient innings.
— Wisden (@WisdenCricket) August 21, 2024
Scorecard ➡️ https://t.co/dyFGD5kiHq#ENGvSL pic.twitter.com/yJBmwIDB35
England have been in this situation before. They've were criticised during the Ashes last year for allowing lower-order partnerships to spoil early inroads, and were in similar spots in India earlier this year. Shamar Joseph, at No.11, took chunks out of a pub roof in a spirited stand for the West Indies as well. Ben Stokes has often employed the bouncer strategy to get through the tail, but that wasn't on offer at points today. Shortly after tea, the light metre dictated that no more pace could be bowled while the grey, cloudy skies remained in place. With England forced to keep to their spinners, Rathnayake settled in for the long haul.
While Ollie Pope was hampered by only having one full-time member of the bowling attack available to him, those hoping to see the unique off-spin stylings of Dan Lawrence were disappointed. This was, perhaps, a slight missed opportunity. England may need to figure out how to balance their side in Pakistan, and a look at Lawrence may help towards that. Given his increased usage in a Surrey side featuring Pop this season, it was also something of a surprise. Lawrence took a four-for for Surrey earlier in the County Championship season, and by its second round had bowled more overs in a season than he ever did for Essex.
Before he was dismissed, holing out off Shoaib Bashir, Rathnayake had racked up the best score for a No.9 on Test debut, as well as his own personal best first-class score. But, more importantly, he'd kept Sri Lanka in a game that before he'd been a part of they had looked out of half an hour in.
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