"Sometimes it's good to win ugly" - Joe Root on hard-fought victory in ENG vs SL 1st Test

England's ace batter Joe Root said he had little qualms with their 'ugly' way of winning the first Test against Sri Lanka at the Old Trafford in Manchester. The right-hander underlined that the wicket was hardly comfortable to time the ball according to the batter's will.

With Sri Lanka's spirited effort setting England 205 for victory, the hosts were made to grind on their way to a five-wicket win. Root held the innings together with a patient 62* off 128 deliveries and saw invaluable contributions from Harry Brook (32) and Jamie Smith (39).

Speaking to Sky Sports after the match, the former skipper said England winning with one day to spare shows their evolution but also expressed surprise at the surface.

"Hopefully it's a one-off thing but sometimes it's good to win ugly. And we've still got a day [out of five] to go, so we're still sticking by the principles that we want to live by, and we're evolving as a team. The outfield is as long as I've seen for a long time in England, and the wicket itself obviously lost a lot of pace throughout. So it was quite hard to time the ball, and I didn't really feel comfortable trying to muscle it," Joe Root said.

After England took a 123-run lead, Sri Lanka hit back with a spirited batting performance, spearheaded by Kamindu Mendis' 113. However, Mendis' wicket meant that the tourists folded fairly quickly.

"I think you've seen everything you want from a No. 7" - Joe Root on Jamie Smith

In the same interview, Joe Root heaped praise on Jamie Smith, who earned the Player of the Match award for his 150 runs across both innings in Manchester, including 111 in the first dig. The Yorkshire cricketer feels Smith's versatility has stood out.

"He's a phenomenal player. His glovework's been exceptional, but his batting, I think you've seen everything you want from a No. 7. He can bat with the tail and take the game on aggressively. And then he's managed periods of play throughout this innings, and the first innings in particular, where he's been able to soak things up, knock it around, and then put his foot down when he needs to," Root added.

The 2nd Test begins at Lord's on August 29.