Joe Root leads England to hard-fought win over Sri Lanka in first Test

Presented with a chase of 205 on the fourth day of this series opener, England were unable to produce the kind of fireworks that have become their calling card over the last couple years, but emerged triumphant thanks to Root's hard-working half-century.

After losing three wickets in a nervy spell before tea they were forced to pump the brakes in front of a restless crowd, eventually getting the job done deep in the evening session and 58 overs in.

Root steadied the ship in a watchful stand of 49 with Harry Brook and made sure to see things through to the end, reaching 62 not out to hand stand-in captain Ollie Pope victory in his first game at the helm.

Root finished things with a four, one of only two in his three-hour stay.

Jamie Smith, fresh from a maiden Test century in the first innings, took it upon himself to release the shackles as the finish line hovered into view as he hit a quickfire 39 that erased any concerns over the match going into a fifth day.

Earlier, Sri Lanka managed a lead that was well beyond what England might have expected when the tourists resumed just 82 ahead with four wickets in hand.

Kamindu Mendis scored a fine 113 and Dinesh Chandimal made 79 as they made life difficult for an attack robbed of Mark Wood's extreme pace.

Wood pulled up injured late on Friday evening and was ruled out of the day's play with a thigh injury that looks likely to wreck his hopes of featuring at Lord's next week.

England eventually ended the 117-run seventh-wicket stand when Gus Atkinson drew a rare error from Kamindu who edged a drive to slip, and then took the final four wickets in 26 balls, with two for Matthew Potts and one each for Gus Atkinson and Chris Woakes.

Root then played the role of designated driver to ensure England did not slip up, carefully seeing his side home to put England 1-0 up in the three-match series.

READ MORE: West Indies draw first blood against Proteas in best-of-three T20 series