Sri Lankan cricketer Milan Rathnayake made an unforgettable debut in Test cricket, setting a new record for the highest score by a number 9 batter in men’s red-ball cricket. Rathnayake, 28, surpassed the previous record of 71 set by India’s Balwinder Sandhu against Pakistan in Hyderabad in 1983.
In the first Test between Sri Lanka and England held in Manchester, Rathnayake shone brightly despite challenging conditions. On the opening day, Sri Lanka struggled against England’s aggressive bowling attack, which had reduced them to 113/7. England’s Chris Woakes and Gus Atkinson played a crucial role in dismantling Sri Lanka’s top order, with Woakes claiming 3/32 and Atkinson adding 2/48.
Despite the pressure, Rathnayake demonstrated exceptional composure, scoring 72 runs off 135 balls. His performance was instrumental in Sri Lanka reaching 236 before the close of play on the first day. Rathnayake’s notable innings included a valuable 63-run partnership with Sri Lankan captain Dhananjaya de Silva for the 8th wicket.
Rathnayake’s impressive debut innings ended when he attempted a drive shot off a delivery from young spinner Shoaib Bashir. The ball did not rise as expected, and Woakes managed to catch it comfortably at mid-on, ending Rathnayake’s innings.
After Sri Lanka’s innings folded at 236, England’s opening batsmen, Ben Duckett and Daniel Lawrence, began their innings aggressively. Despite missing Zak Crawley, the duo quickly set the pace, hitting three boundaries in just four overs.
England ended the day at 22/0, and they will look to build on this promising start on Day 2, aiming to capitalize on their ‘Bazball’ approach and put more runs on the board.
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