England fast bowler Mark Wood will not take the field on Day 4 of the first Test against Sri Lanka after injuring his right thigh towards the end of Day 3 at Emirates Old Trafford. The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) confirmed that Wood is under observation by the team doctor.
Wood, who was instrumental in England’s bowling attack, picked up two wickets in the match. In the first innings, he dismissed Kusal Mendis after bowling just eight overs. In the second innings, Wood claimed the wicket of opener Dimuth Karunaratne before he sustained the injury during his 11th over, forcing him to leave the field.
Joe Root stepped in to complete Wood’s over and notably took the wicket of Milan Rathnayake with his second delivery. This dismissal added to Sri Lanka’s challenges as they were bowled out for 236 runs in the first innings, allowing England to gain a 122-run lead.
Despite a strong start from Sri Lanka in the second innings, with Angelo Mathews scoring 65 and Kamindu Mendis remaining unbeaten on 56 at the end of Day 3, Sri Lanka finished the day at 204/6, leading by 82 runs. They will need to build a significant lead on Day 4 to challenge England, but with Wood out, England’s bowling resources will be slightly stretched.
The match remains finely poised as Sri Lanka hopes to post a challenging target for England.
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