WATCH: Ben Foakes completes century on England debut before Sri Lanka slip to 42-4
Written by News on 07/11/2018
Ben Foakes completed a debut ton on the second morning of the first Test as England scored 342 before they ripped through Sri Lanka’s top order, reducing the hosts to 42-4 at lunch.
The Surrey wicketkeeper resumed overnight on 87, having helped rescue England from a terrible start to their innings, and was hoping tailenders Jack Leach and James Anderson would stick around long enough to see him to three figures.
Twelve of the 13 runs he needed came in boundaries, a crunching drive from the first ball of the day, a neatly timed pull to fine leg and a straight blow down the ground to reach his hundred.
Leach had earlier nicked Dilruwan Perera to slip with Foakes on 95, with Foakes last man out for 107 after miss-timing Suranga Lakmal.
Foakes became the 20th Englishman to score a century in his first Test and just the second wicketkeeper after Matt Prior in 2007.
The 25-year-old’s dream debut took another memorable turn when he took a catch just two balls into the Sri Lanka innings.
James Anderson swung one outside the off stump, Dimuth Karunaratne felt for it and Foakes pouched it safely. Karunaratne immediately reviewed only for the UltraEdge technology to show a slight edge.
Sri Lanka quickly lost a second wicket to slip to 10-2 as Sam Curran trapped Kaushal Silva lbw with a full inswinger and the momentum stayed with England as Leach found Kusal Mendis’ edge, Ben Stokes taking the chance at slip, and Moeen Ali bowled Dhananjaya de Silva on the sweep.
(c) Sky News 2018: WATCH: Ben Foakes completes century on England debut before Sri Lanka slip to 42-4
