On the first day of the second Youth Men’s Test in Cheltenham, England took the lead thanks to a goal by Naavya Sharma.
The Middlesex fast bowler put on a sharp show to deliver career-best figures of 5 for 44 and help dismiss the visitors for 153 within 46 overs in their first innings on a day when rain caused the loss of 25 overs. On his debut, spinner Charlie Barnard contributed with 2 for 35 in a disciplined England bowling and fielding effort, while Harry Moore made an impact with 2 for 38.
Gayana Weerasinghe, who scored 77 off 111 balls in a valiant innings highlighted by eight fours and a six, was a huge contributor to Sri Lanka’s victory over England.
England entered stumps on 73 for 1, behind by 80 with nine first-inning wickets remaining. Jaydn Denly gave the reply an early momentum, playing an impressive effort of 57 not out from 59 balls, including 10 fours. When play resumes in the morning, the home team will want to establish a significant advantage because Keshana Fonseka is undefeated in seven games.
England captain Hamza Shaikh won the toss and asked the visitors to bat since the circumstances were ideal for bowlers. This choice was instantly validated when Naavya and Moore started working with the new ball.
With lightning-fast bowling from the Chapel end, Naavya tore apart Sri Lanka’s top-order with a devastating run of three wickets in 12 balls. The breakthrough came in the third over when the youngster from Isleworth took advantage of the low cloud cover. Pulindu Perera, the left-handed opener, sent a leading edge flying high to Rocky Flintoff at short extra.
In the seventh, he eliminated Mahith Perera and Sharujan Shanmuganathan with consecutive deliveries. hitting back to a length ball, Mahith was bowled by an inside edge, and Shanmuganathan was out LBW after hitting over the line to a straight one. Dinura Kalupahana, who was being bombarded by a ball that appeared to be heading down the leg side, managed to survive the hat-trick ball as the Young Lions were on the rampage.
Before the game even began, towering Derbyshire seamer Moore was awarded his cap. He misled Mahith Perera into a front-foot blunder, causing the small opener to lose his off stump and go for a 16-ball duck as Sri Lanka’s batting collapsed. England’s attack saw a persistent downpour drive the players out with the eighth over’s score at 27 for 4.
After the match, England made more progress when Noah Thain, who had replaced Moore, dismissed Dinura Kalupahana with his fourth ball. Kalupahana made just 16 this time, smacking a half volley to mid-wicket, after making an incredible hundred in the first unofficial Test at Wormsley earlier this month.
When Moore moved to the Chapel end, he lured Diniru Abeywickramasinghe into a weak shot and Jack Carney made a diving catch behind the wickets to further reduce the tourists to 70 for 6. Sri Lanka were just unable to form a meaningful partnership.
After returning to the Chapel end during the last session, Naavya made an instant impression. He bowled Praveen Maneesha the next ball as Sri Lanka collapsed to 106 for 8, pinning Vihas Thewmika lbw for six.
But Weerasinghe kept showing defiance in spades, reaching his fifty through seventy-five deliveries and dominating a partnership with Manuja Chanthuka of forty-two for the ninth wicket. After ultimately bowling him out, Barnard removed Chanthuka from the game to end the innings.
The opening combination of England’s Denly and Archie Vaughan, who put up a partnership of 54 in 8.2 overs, gave the tourists’ efforts some perspective. The sluggish left arm of Chanthuka claimed Vaughan, but Denly could not be stopped as the Young Lions took control with a blistering fifty-seven off thirty-four balls.
Read More: Morris and Richardson backed for summer opportunities after injury challenges
