The overnight batters, Kamindu Mendis and Dinesh Chandimal, showcased excellent shot selection during the morning session, adding 103 runs despite a brief rain interruption.
However, after Lunch, Gus Atkinson broke the partnership with the second new ball. As England sought to capitalize further, a dramatic juggling catch by Harry Brook in the slip cordon gave Matty Potts a scare in the 88th over.
Potts stuck to a disciplined line just outside off-stump against the Sri Lankan batters in the second session. On the final ball of the 88th over, he delivered a good-length ball outside the stumps, tempting Prabath Jayasuriya into an expansive drive.
The ball caught the outside edge, and Brook, positioned at second slip, stretched to his right to make contact. The ball popped up over his head, but Brook followed it backward and managed to secure the catch.
— Gill Bill (@bill_gill76078) August 24, 2024
Brook’s persistence paid off, gifting Potts a well-deserved wicket. The pacer breathed a sigh of relief, and the back-to-back breakthroughs for England set Twitter abuzz.