England v Sri Lanka: first men’s cricket Test match, day four – live

49th over: England 174-4 (Root 45, Smith 33) England now need just 33 runs to win. Sri Lanka attempt one last throw of the dice with Asitha Fernando returning to the attack. Root drops a full ball into the covers and jogs down the other end. Jamie Smith does exactly the same to make it two runs off the over.

48th over: England 172-4 (Root 44, Smith 32) Joe Root hits his first four in nearly one hundred deliveries! He’s been a modicum of patience and nerve in this tricksy fourth innings chase. Vishwa Fernando offers some width and Root chops it away to the fence behind point. A glide down to third brings him a single and he inches closer to 64th Test match fifty. Remarkable.

47th over: England 167-4 (Root 39, Smith 32) Do not bowl there! Jayasuriya sends down a tired looking half tracker that Smith sees early and maaaarmalises for SIX over square leg! A fine sweep brings two more and suddenly it all looks very comfortable for England. A broad smile on Smith’s face as he shares a glove punch with Root in the middle of the wicket – he’s having the time of his life.

46th over: England 153-4 (Root 37, Smith 20) Vishwa Fernando tries out the middle of the pitch but he doesn’t have the venom to worry Smith who simply rocks back and hooks for four. England need 52 more, Root is becalmed but Jamie Smith clearly wants a day off tomorrow.

45th over: England 148-4 (Root 37, Smith 15) Jamie Smith finds the boundary and releases the shackles! Jayasuriya is bowling a leg stump line and Smith latches onto a full one and sweeps wide of the fielder on the ‘45. And another! Next ball is dragged down by the spinner and clubbed away to the fence wide of mid-on by Smith – his stock continues to rise.

44th over: England 139-4 (Root 37, Smith 6) Vishwa Fernando tells me to shut my trap keeps it tight, a single each to Root and Smith brings England’s target down to 66 runs. Time for a drink. The last ten overs have seen just 22 runs and the wicket of Harry Brook. At that rate maybe we won’t be finished today.

43rd over: England 137-4 (Root 36, Smith 5) Root drives for a single to bring Smith on strike. The Surrey man the collects two with wristy flick into the leg side. Vishwa Fernando is coming on to bowl, he’s probably been the loosest of all the Sri Lankan bowlers in this match so there could be some more run scoring opportunities for England incoming.

42nd over: England 134-4 (Root 35, Smith 3) Just one run off the over, England haven’t found the boundary in twelve overs and yet it is a gripping spectacle.

41st over: England 133-4 (Root 34, Smith 3) Jayasuriya does his job and keeps things tight and the pressure on with a maiden. England need 72 runs, Sri Lanka need six wickets.

40th over: England 133-4 (Root 34, Smith 3) Six runs off the over as Root finds the gaps. Some stat this:

39th over: England 127-4 (Root 29, Smith 2) Joe Root has seen and done it all before. He punches into the covers and then sweeps into midwicket. His serenity must be calming for new man Jamie Smith. He collects a single down the ground as a rapt hush hangs over Old Trafford.

38th over: England 123-4 (Root 26, Smith 1) Whilst Root is there England will be pretty calm and confident. All that could change in a heartbeat if Sri Lanka pick him up now. It’s a bit of a grind out there, Root has yet to hit a boundary and there are still 84 runs needed.

It isn’t the high octane cricket we’ve been used to watching from England under Stokes and McCullum over the past few years but it is intriguing and extremely watchable nonetheless. A decent format, Test cricket, if you ask me. Which you didn’t.

37th over: England 121-4 (Root 25, Smith 0) Jayasuriya has his dander up now after snaring the wicket of Brook. He keeps Root honest with five dots landed on a handkerchief just outside off stump. The final ball is a smidge too full and Root drives for a single to keep the strike.

36th over: England 120-4 (Root 24, Smith 0) As was always going to be the case should a wicket fall, the Sri Lankan’s are bobbing about with enthusiasm. England need 86 to win and Root and Brook are the last two recognised batters at the crease… although Chris Woakes and his Test match hundreds might want a word about that. He’s in next. Gird your loins for a nervy finish if we get to him in the next few minutes.

WICKET! Brook c & b Jayasuriya 32 (England 119-4)

34th over: England 117-3 (Root 22, Brook 31) Milan Rathnayake replaces Vishwa Fernando. He oversteps with his front foot to gift another run onto the total. Root defends stoutly but isn’t happy with his bat, looks like it might’ve hit its last ball, as he calls for a replacement. Stuart Broad and Mike Atherton recall bats of yore. They are not the only ones…

33rd over: England 116-3 (Root 22, Brook 31) An oddly flat atmosphere at Old Trafford as the game drifts a little. That’ll all change with a wicket or a flurry of boundaries to get England in sight. In the meantime, Jayasuriya sends down a maiden to Harry Brook.

32nd over: England 116-3 (Root 22, Brook 31) Vishwa Fernando goes over the wicket as tries to incite the edge from the two right-handers. Brook glides comfortably for a single and Root flicks a shorter ball of his hip for a couple.

31st over: England 113-3 (Root 21, Brook 29) Two singles worked off Jayasuriya. Sri Lanka desperate for a breakthrough. England still require 92 runs but with every over Brook and Root are at the crease the visitors are deflated.

30th over: England 111-3 (Root 19, Brook 29) The target is now less than a hundred for England as Harry Brook skips down the wicket and launches Vishwa Fernando for a tracer bullet drive over cover for a one bounce four!

29th over: England 104-3 (Root 18, Brook 23) Brooks sweeps and collects three runs behind square, the ball pulling up before the boundary. Root gets the broom out too and sweeps for a single. Brook muscles into the off side for a couple and England are reaping the benefit of their earlier patience. The hundred comes up and is greeted by smattering off applause from a somewhat sparsely populated Old Trafford.

28th over: England 98-3 (Root 17, Brook 18) The Brook boundary doesn’t lead to a flurry though, just a single off Asitha Fernando. England need 107 runs. Sri Lanka need a breakthrough and then six wickets after that.

27th over: England 97-3 (Root 17, Brook 17) That’ll release a bit of tension. Brook lofts a sweep over the leg-side for four runs and Root collects a couple with a checked drive into the covers. Two further well judged singles make it 8 runs off the over.

26th over: England 89-3 (Root 14, Brook 12) A single each to Root and Brook. You sense there is a big shot coming and Sri Lanka are on the prowl. These two batters are normally so footloose and fancy free but have been going at less than two runs an over in this partnership so far*.

*That’s not very BazBall-y.

25th over: England 87-3 (Root 13, Brook 12) Root plays out a maiden to Jayasuriya. He has 13 off 36 balls and his body language is giving off a slight air of frustration. Something’s gonna give.

24th over: England 87-3 (Root 13, Brook 11) Asitha Fernando starts a new spell. A loose delivery second ball is not missed out on by Brook who crunches it square for four runs. Sri Lanka can ill afford such hit-me deliveries. Brook looks to steer the next ball away but misses it… or does he – a loud appeal suggest he might have got a tickle on it. We’re going to have a look upstairs… NOT OUT no edge to be seen and Sri Lanka lose their second review. Spurious and Spuriouser.

23rd over: England 83-3 (Root 13, Brook 7) A tidy start after the break from Jayasuriya, just a single clipped down to mid on by Brook.

Righto, here come the players for the final session under sunny Manchester skies. You heard me.

Brook and Root stride to the crease, Jamie Smith is in next should a wicket fall and then it is Chris Woakes and the bowlers. It’s a slow outfield and a fourth day wicket so this is far from a foregone conclusion.

Tea: England 82-3 (Need 123 runs to win)

21st over: England 80-3 (Root 11, Brook 6) Close! Brook overreaches on the sweep and can’t keep it down, the sub-fielder Ramesh Mendis dives behind square to try and pluck the catch but he can only get a finger or two to it and the half-chance goes begging. That would have put England off their PG Tips.

20th over: England 78-3 (Root 11, Brook 4) Rathnayake oversteps to gift England a run for the no ball. Otherwise it is a tight over with just a Brook single off it. A couple of overs to go before tea. England need 127 runs to win. Unless the rain and/or wickets starts to fall then they’ll wrap this up today.

19th over: England 76-3 (Root 11, Brook 3) A loud and excited appeal as Jayasuriya is reverse-swept by Root… I’m not sure what the appeal is for as it looks like Root hit the ball? The batter looks utterly unconcerned as Sri Lanka send it upstairs. NOT OUT – Root did hit it and the ball pitched outside leg so nothing much going for that one and the review is burned. On we go.

“The beauty of cricket is that you never know what’s around the corner.” Emails Michael Galvin. “Another wicket here and it really is game on!”

You’re not wrong Mick.

18th over: England 75-3 (Root 11, Brook 2) A tickle off the pads brings Root a couple of runs to fine leg and Brook cuts for a single to the boundary rider.

This just made me chuckle.

17th over: England 71-3 (Root 8, Brook 1) That’s better from the visitors. Jayasuriya stitches together a maiden to keep Harry Brook honest and stall the scoreboard.

It just looked out eh? Plenty of club level umpires giving that or the shot alone. ‘That’ll teach you to play straight lad’.

16th over: England 71-3 (Root 8, Brook 1) Harry Brook joins Joe Root out in the middle with 135 runs still needed for England. A crucial passage of play in the offing with twenty minutes until tea. Brook is off the mark with a flick to leg. Game on.

WICKET! Lawrence lbw b Rathnayake 34 (70-3)

15th over: England 67-2 (Lawrence 32, Root 7) Still too easy for England as Lawrence and Root pocket five runs off the over with no alarms and no surprises.

14th over: England 62-2 (Lawrence 29, Root 5) Rathnayake continues but there are five runs picked off the over. There are too many easy singles on offer for my money, Sri Lanka should try and cut off the supply and ramp up the pressure with dots. England’s batters love to keep the scoreboard ticking. Half an hour of Joe Root going about his business here and the game will be pretty much gone.

13th over: England 57-2 (Lawrence 29, Root 1) Here comes a scampering Joe Root. Plenty of chatter around the bat but Root pays it never mind and gets off the mark off his very first ball with a nurdle to square leg.

WICKET! Pope c de Silva b Jayasuriya 6 (England 56-2)

12th over: England 51-1 (Lawrence 24, Pope 6) Milan Rathnayake replaces Asitha Fernando after the electrolytes have been slurped. Can he find the breakthrough? Nope. Not yet. Lawrence flicks a couple of singles with an air of nonchalance.

11th over: England 49-1 (Lawrence 23, Pope 6) A single as Lawrence works Jayasuriya down to long on.

Time for a drink. England need 156 to win. Sri Lanka need as many wickets as I’ve had biscuits. Plenty.

10th over: England 48-1 (Lawrence 22, Pope 6) A Papal cut for two and a Lawrence leg bye.

My phone dings as I dip a biscuit into me cup of tea. Eleven year old nephew has been getting his Rog Bannister on it seems – apparently he’s just run a mile in five minutes. Speedy.

I’ll toast him with another custard cream or nine.

9th over: England 45-1 (Lawrence 22, Pope 4) Dan Lawrence’s footwork is positive to Jayasuriya, he gets down the pitch and works into the gaps, always looking to score as the first option.

He’s tailor made for BazBall cricket. Not that it matters but I’ve interviewed him a couple of times and he’s a delight too – straight talking and supremely confident but with a dry sense of humour. He knows this is his time to make a mark.

8th over: England 41-1 (Lawrence 19, Pope 3) Asitha Fernando is into his groove and bowling a tight line, the wicket of Duckett was his 50th in Test cricket. Just two runs scampered off a Lawrence leg bye from the over.

Rain nearly everywhere else in the country. The Beautiful South don’t know what they are on about…

7th over: England 39-1 (Lawrence 19, Pope 3) Pope gets off the mark with a measured clip off Jayasuriya, picking up three runs as the ball pulls up just before the boundary. Lawrence then glides a single behind point.

Here’s that tasty six Lawrence hit a few overs back:

6th over: England 34-1 (Lawrence 17, Pope 0) Ollie Pope joins Dan Lawrence out in the middle. He’s a skittish starter at the best of times and will be more mentally fatigued than usual after a lengthy stint marshalling the troops in the field. If Sri Lanka get another here then their dander will be well and truly up. England need 171 runs to win. Sri Lanka need nine more wickets.

WICKET! Duckett c K Mendis b A Fernando 11 (England 34-1)

5th over: England 33-0 (Duckett 11, Lawrence 16) England are not going to let Jayasuriya settle into his spell, Duckett clonks a shorter ball square for four and then shovels to midwicket for a single. SIX! Lawrence shuffles out of his crease lofts the spinner down the ground and over the rope. Confidence oozing out of these two England openers.

4th over: England 21-0 (Duckett 6, Lawrence 9) Can you hit the stumps, Fernando? Not yet…

There’s a leg slip in to Duckett and Asitha Fernando is targeting the stumps and front pad with some full and straight stuff. Duckett blocks the first two and then gets off strike with a push through the covers.

I wonder how Dan Lawrence will approach this chase? An eye catching 80 odd here would help his cause for longer term selection. He picks up a couple with a flick through the leg side.

Time for some spin – Prabath Jayasuriya is coming on for a twirl with the new ball. The weather is set fair in Manchester and we can play til 7.30pm ish if the light holds. Odds on we’ll see a result today – one way or t’other.