On the second day of the 1st Test between England and Sri Lanka at Old Trafford, rain has again interrupted play. Persistent showers followed an earlier delay, forcing the groundsmen to quickly cover the pitch. The rain’s continuation means the resumption of play remains uncertain, with the inspection now postponed.
Weather conditions over the next four hours at Old Trafford, according to Accuweather.com, show a temperature of around 18 degrees Celsius. The area is experiencing cloudy skies with 93% cloud cover, wind gusts of 35 km/h, and humidity at 68%.
Sri Lanka batted first but struggled early, falling to 6/3 by the seventh over. Kusal Mendis (24) and Dinesh Chandimal (17) briefly steadied the innings before two excellent deliveries dismissed them. At 113/7, Sri Lanka was in a precarious position until captain Dhananjaya de Silva and debutant Milan Rathnayake led a crucial recovery. De Silva scored 74 runs, while Rathnayake added 72. Their partnership lifted Sri Lanka to a total of 236 before they were all out in 74 overs.
England’s bowlers, Chris Woakes and Shoaib Bashir, each took three wickets, but Sri Lanka’s lower order provided a valuable contribution. Rain halted England’s response after just four overs, leaving them at 22/0 with Ben Duckett and Daniel Lawrence at the crease.
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