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England’s spinner Dominic Bess displayed outstanding bowling on Day 1 of In the first Test against Sri Lanka at the Galle international stadium.
The home team exhibited shambolic batting display and got bundled out for just 135 in their first innings. Bess claimed his second five-wicket haul in the longest format after he dismissed Kusal Perera (20), Niroshan Dickwella (12), Dasun Shanaka (23), Wanindu Hasaranga (19) and Dilruwan Perera (0).
Quickest 5-wicket hauls in terms of balls bowled by English spinners since May 2001 (Tests):
- 61 balls – Dom Bess, vs SL, 1st inns at Galle, 2021
- 69 balls – Monty Panesar, vs NZ, 3rd inns at Old Trafford, 2008
- 76 balls – Moeen Ali, vs SA, 4th inns at Lord’s, 2017
Bess bowled 10.1 overs and conceded 30 runs with five wickets and three maidens. Apart from Bess, the veteran fast bowler Stuart Broad also shined with the ball.
Broad picked up three scalps for 20 runs in 9 overs. He removed opener Lahiru Thirimanne (4), top-order batter Kusal Mendis (0) and senior batsman Angelo Mathews (27).
For the hosts, skipper Dinesh Chandimal was the high♐est scorer with 28 runs off 71 deliveries.♛ Four Lankan batsman were dismissed for a duck.
Here is how Twitter reacted:
The way Dom Bess has picked up his wickets today might be the luckiest five-for witnessed since Glenn McGrath got slapped to all parts at Old Trafford in the 2005 Ashes but ended with figures of 5-115. Some unbelievable dismissals and atrocious batting on Sri Lanka's part
— Matt Jones (@mattjones_sport)
Those 46.1 overs have been the worst possible advertisement for Test Cricket … it’s supposed to be the pinnacle … that was utter garbage Sri Lanka … … anyway time for a brew
— Michael Vaughan (@MichaelVaughan)
"England began preparations for the India Test series…."
— Nick Howson (@NickHowson)
❇️ 10.1 overs
❇️ 30 runs
5️⃣ wicketsS🔯econd five-wicket haul for Dominic Bess in Tests 🙌
— ICC (@ICC)
//twitter.co𝔍m/nightcall_vibe/status/134964🐎4293019865089
Nice start for Bess and Leach 👌👍
— Robert Croft (@RDBCroft10)
Says it all really.
— simon hughes (@theanalyst)
According to our Expected Wickets model, the del♛iveries Dom Bess has bowled today would, on average, take 0.18 wickets.🦹
— The CricViz Analyst (@cricvizanalyst)
This five-𓃲wicket haul by Dom Bess should be one of the l🌃uckiest ever in Test cricket, even he might agree.
— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns)
Beautiful wo🔜rk from Yorkshire’s Dom Bess this morning, let’s hope our batters d🅠on’t get battered
— Abi Slade (@abi_slade)
Fair play Dom Bess for a five-wicket haul but that's a quite shocking display from Sri Lanka. Lowest ever first innings score in Galle of 135 all out and a tremendous opportunity for England
— Paul Newman (@Paul_NewmanDM)
Dom Bess ou𓆉ght to nip out and buy a lottery ticket during the t🐼ea break.
— Stumped (@stumpedblog)
Dom Bess may never get a weirder Test🐎 five-for. Sri Lanka all out 135.
— Brett Simba 🦁 (@BretltSimba)
Would love to know Murali’s�🗹� thoughts on how Dom Bess just rolled them out
— Ian Higgins (@1an_Higgins)
Dom Bess: 'Took five wickets in my first game in Sri Lanka. Whatever. No big deal.'
Grandchildren: 'Show us, there.'
Dom Bess: 'Nah. Wasn't televised. Because of…Covid.'
— Paddy Power (@paddypower)
And so it continues. Another horrible shot by a Sri Lankan batsman and Dom Bess finishes with the easiest five-for he'll ever take.
— John Etheridge (@JohnSunCricket)
Dom Bess has a f🦋ive-for an﷽d Sri Lanka are all out for 135!
— Wisden (@WisdenCricket)
Good from , but it didn’t need to be anything more than that. But wow, that was so poor from Sri Lanka, having won the toss and batting on the best part of the pitch. Time for England to be ruthless with the bat, work hard and d⛎on’t let Sri Lanka back in!
— Ian Bell (@Ian_Bell)
