• Home
  • Fantasy Analysis
  • Eng Vs Sl 2024 1St Test Dream11 Predictions Fantasy Tips Teams Pitch Report Top Picks

ENG vs SL 2024: 1st Test Dream11 Predictions, Fantasy Tips, Teams, Pitch Report, Top Picks

Harry Brook (x.com)Harry Brook (x.com)

England and Sri Lanka will collide in the first Test of their three-match Test series at the iconic Old Trafford between August 21 and August 25. The matches constitute a part of the ongoing 2023-25 WTC cycle, and marks Sri Lanka’s return to Test cricket after a gap of nearly five months.

Here at OneCricket, we take a look at Dream11 predictions, fantasy tips, pitch report, top player picks and the best-predicted fantasy XIs for the match.

ENG vs SL Head-to-Head Stats

England and Sri Lanka have played 36 Test matches against each other so far, with the former holding a much-superior head-to-head advantage. Moreover, the English cricket team has won each of their five previous Test matches against Sri Lanka since November 2018.

Matches
England won
Sri Lanka won
Draws
3617811

ENG vs SL Pitch Report

The Old Trafford in Manchester tends to offer considerable seam and bounce to fast bowlers with the new-ball. Overcast conditions at the venue will also assist bowlers to generate enough swing to trouble batters. The average first innings total her after hosting 84 Test matches has turned out to be a competitive 325. Considering the overall track record of the venue, the captain winning the toss will likely opt to bat first.

Fantasy value from the pitch report

  • As per the pitch report, seamers and fast bowlers will be considered as ideal picks to trouble batters on the Old Trafford surface.
  • To combat early movement, teams must also include quality top-order batters to occupy long hours at the crease.

ENG vs SL Fantasy Cricket Tips

England Heavy Fantasy XI

  • Ben Duckett and senior man Joe Root starred in England’s 3-0 Test series win over West Indies last month. Both cricketers plundered several match-winning fifty-plus scores to demoralize the visitor’s attack, and will be aiming to sustain their batting form against the Sri Lankan bowlers.
  • Young Shoaib Bashir played a key role in England’s 241-run win over West Indies in Nottingham back in July. Aged 20, the right-arm off-spinner starts out as one of the key figures from the hosts’ line-up.

Sri Lanka Heavy Fantasy XI

  • Dimuth Karunaratne has been on a splendid touch with the bat for Sri Lanka in Test matches off late. He has scored nearly 1,000 runs in his past 10 Tests at a prolific average of 57.47.
  • Sri Lankan left-arm spinner Prabath Jayasuriya holds an impressive bowling average of 28 in Tests. He has already snared 71 wickets in just 12 matches and will be looking to add more to his tally in testing English conditions.

ENG vs SL Winner Prediction

Hosts and self-proclaimed ‘BazBallers’ England will be considered as outright favorites to defeat Sri Lanka in the first Test at Manchester.

ENG vs SL Top Player Picks

Joe Root (ENG)

  • A veteran of 143 Test matches, Joe Root starts out as the seniormost member from either side when they will be taking field at Manchester’s Old Trafford on August 21. The legendary right-handed batter has amassed over 12,000 runs in the format, and scored 791 of them in his past 10 matches alone.

Chris Woakes (ENG)

  • Lanky English pacer Chris Woakes will once again be expected to lead his team’s new-ball attack as he did against West Indies last month. Apart from manufacturing sheer pace and genuine wicket-taking deliveries, Woakes also provides an additional batting option in the line-up.

Dimuth Karunaratne (SL)

  • Sri Lankan opener Dimuth Karunaratne has tallied nearly 7,000 Test runs from just 91 matches. His batting average of 41.31 makes him a menacing candidate for opposition bowlers all over the world in Test cricket.

Prabath Jayasuriya (SL)

  • Prabath Jayasuriya has collected 71 wickets in his 12-match Test career at a stupendous average of 28. The left-arm spinner has also emerged as one of Sri Lanka’s leading Test bowler off late, considering he has snared 50 wickets in his past 10 matches.

ENG vs SL 2024 Differential Picks

Ollie Pope (ENG)

  • Ollie Pope was appointed England captain for the series against Sri Lanka after regular skipper Ben Stokes was ruled out owing to an injury in The Hundred 2024. Pope holds an impervious first-class batting record, and his Test strike-rate of 62.79 at the top of the order proves his efficiency as a serial ‘BazBall’ radical.

Dhananjaya de Silva (SL)

  • Sri Lankan captain Dhananjaya de Silva has pounded 3,582 runs at a career average of 40.70 in 54 Tests. Remarkably, the same average increases to 60.6 when accounting his past 10 Test appearances for Sri Lanka.

ENG vs SL Fantasy Expert Advice

Given the form of the players and the expected playing conditions, a 1-4-2-4 combination could be rewarding for the game.

ENG vs SL Fantasy Team for Head-to-Head/Small Leagues

Wicketkeepers: Ollie Pope, Nishan Madushka
Batters: Dimuth Karunaratne, Ben Duckett, Joe Root, Harry Brook
All-rounders: Chris Woakes, Dhananjaya de Silva
Bowlers: Asitha Fernando, Vishwa Fernando, Shoaib Bashir

Captain: Joe Root
Vice-Captain: Dimuth Karunaratne

England: 6 players, Sri Lanka: 5 players

ENG vs SL Fantasy Team for Winner Takes All/ Grand Leagues 

Wicketkeepers: Ollie Pope, Dinesh Chandimal
Batters: Dimuth Karunaratne, Ben Duckett, Joe Root, Harry Brook
All-rounders: Chris Woakes, Angelo Mathews
Bowlers: Asitha Fernando, Vishwa Fernando, Mark Wood

Captain: Ben Duckett
Vice-Captain: Asitha Fernando

England: 6 players, Sri Lanka: 5 players