Jamie Smith’s maiden Test century and some resilient contributions from England’s tailenders gave the hosts a commanding 122-run lead on Day 3 at Old Trafford. With the pressure mounting, Sri Lanka faltered early in their second innings, losing two wickets within the first 10 balls.
Things worsened when Dimuth Karunaratne was undone by Mark Wood’s blistering pace, leaving the visitors at 52/3. Unfortunately, their troubles didn’t end there, as they were soon down to 10 men under unfortunate circumstances.
Wood, in his third over of the second session, bowled with the score at 74/3 after 17 overs, and Dinesh Chandimal on 10. His first delivery was a relatively harmless 140 km/h ball down the leg side, but it was a mere prelude to what followed.
The next delivery was a much straighter, shorter, and faster 149 km/h rocket, with the abrasive Manchester pitch providing reverse swing. The ball reared off the surface and struck Chandimal’s right thumb, which was gripping the bat, sending a jolt of pain through his body.
Chandimal immediately called for the physio, shaking his arm in visible distress. As the cameras zoomed in, it was clear that significant swelling had already developed at the base of his thumb, despite the protection of his glove. His body language and the agony etched on his face told the story as the physio applied pain-relief spray.
— Gill Bill (@bill_gill76078) August 23, 2024
Realizing the inevitable, a distraught Chandimal eventually left the field, becoming yet another example of the damage that raw pace can inflict—a moment that quickly captured the attention of Twitter.
