Pope managed to only score six in each innings as England won his first Test in charge last week. He spoke in the build-up to this match of trying to balance the twin tasks of leadership and batting, and this was a new challenge of having to prepare for his spot at number three immediately after the toss and media duties.
The captain’s wait to bat was not long, thanks to the plight of Lawrence. Despite scores of 30 and 34 at Old Trafford, Lawrence looked ill-suited to opening and this dismissal, a walk at Kumara to edge a wide one, was needless.
If Lawrence’s dismissal was ugly, it was outdone by Pope. He got into a tangle trying to pull Asitha Fernando and spooned the ball towards square leg, where Dhananjaya took a good running catch.
Ben Duckett played nicely through the off side for 40 but was another to commit an error, reverse-sweeping Jayasuriya to deep point. Only Brook, who made 33, can feel blameless, after he was trapped by a full one from Fernando.
Smith, on 21, wafted a drive to edge Fernando and Chris Woakes top-edged Kumara, before the Root-Atkinson stand that was ended when Root joined the list of those who gave their wicket away.
Atkinson is a capable batter, albeit probably a place high at number eight. The way he got after the Sri Lanka bowling, including clobbering the spin of Jayasuriya and Kamindu Mendis for three sixes and pulling the pace of Kumara for another, showed the runs that could be offer when the tourists get their chance.
