Sri Lanka vs England 2018: 1st Test – Statistical Highlights

England brought an end to their drought of away wins in Test cricket as they defeated Sri Lanka in the first of the three-match Test series by 211 runs. After electing to bat first, England posted 342 in their first innings thanks to a century on Test debut from Ben Foakes.

The English spinners restricted the hosts to merely 203 before a Keaton Jennings’ century in the second innings took the match away from the home team. Joe Root declared the innings at 322/6 to set a 462-run target for Sri Lanka who were wrapped for only 250.

All the key stats and numbers that were recorded during England’s first Test win at Galle:

1 – This was Joe Root’s first away Test win as a captain having lost five of his previous seven away Tests. However, at home, Root won ten out of the 14 Test matches as captain.

2 – Ben Foakes is only the 2nd wicketkeeper to effect a dismissal on Test debut as early as the 2nd ball. Peter Nevill also made his maiden Test dismissal behind the stumps on the second ball of his Test debut in the 2015 Lord’s Test.

5 – Ben Foakes became only the 5th wicketkeeper to score a century on Test debut. He is the second player from England to achieve this feat after Matt Prior.

13 – England brought an end to their longest winless streak in Test cricket away from home. Their last away Test win came 13 matches ago against Bangladesh in October 2016.

20y 157d – At the age of 20 years and 157 days, Sam Curran became the second youngest player to open the bowling for England. Bill Voce, another left-arm pacer, was 20y and 156d old when he bowled the first over of the 1930 Bridgetown Test against Windies on his debut. Curran also was 20y and 156d old coming into this Test but England bowled on the second day.

40y 234d – Rangana Herath is the oldest player to take a wicket in Test cricket since the start of 1995. In this period, Sachin Tendulkar (40y 196d) is the only other player to take a Test wicket after turning 40.

102 – Rangana Herath has taken 102 wickets in Test cricket at the Galle International Stadium. He is the 3rd player to claim as many as 100 Test wickets at a venue.

2001 – The last instance of England not conceding a bye in a Test match in Asia was way back in 2001 Mohali Test match against India. Ben Foakes, on his debut, did not concede a single bye in the 153.1 overs of Sri Lanka.

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