Chris Woakes and Shoaib Bashir claim three-fers versus Sri Lanka
England bowlers Chris Woakes and Shoaib Bashir took three-wicket hauls on the Day 1 of the first Test versus Sri Lanka in Manchester. Sri Lanka, who opted to bat first, were 113/7 at one stage. They managed 236 eventually, riding on fifities from Dhananjaya de Silva and Milan Priyanath Rathnayake. Credit should go to Woakes and Bashir for the crucial wickets taken. Here's more.
Wickets at crucial junctures for these two bowlers
Woakes was sensational with the new ball, getting the wickets of Nishan Madushka (6) and Angelo Mathews to keep SL hanging at 6/3. Ahead of lunch, Bashir got Dinesh Chandimal's wicket. In the second session, Woakes got Kamindu Mendis' scalp as SL were 92/6. When Dhananjaya and Rathnayake were going well, it was Bashir who broke the stand. He also got Rathnayake's wicket thereafter.
Woakes races to 163 wickets
Woakes took 3/32 from 11 overs. He bowled three maidens. In 52 matches, Woakes now owns 163 wickets at 28.26. 127 of his wickets have come at home. As per ESPNcricinfo, in three matches versus the Lankans, Woakes has 11 scalps at 16.54. Overall, in First-Class cricket, Woakes has 588 wickets at 25-plus.
Bashir averages just below 30
Bashir took 3/55 from 23 overs as he dismissed both Dhananjaya and Rathnayake. Bashir now owns 29 scalps from 7 matches at 29.89. He owns three five-wicket hauls.
