COLOMBO: Jonny Bairstow laid down a marker to be England’s permanent number three on Friday but Sri Lanka clawed their way back into the final Test with late wickets.
At stumps on day one, England, 2-0 up in the series, were 312-7, Bairstow having made 110 after valuable partnerships with Joe Root and Ben Stokes, who made a half-century. Batting after Root won his eighth straight toss, England lost both openers cheaply in the morning session of the game.
Rory Burns disappointed again, bowled by Dilruwan Perera for 14 as he tried to cut. Keaton Jennings fell three overs later, caught at leg slip off Malinda Pushpakumara for 13.
But Root and Bairstow, England’s fourth different number three in the series, steadied the ship, surviving one review each to steer the visitors to 102-2 at lunch.
Bairstow and Root put on a 100-run stand before the captain fell to left-arm wrist spinner Lakshan Sandakan after lunch, top-edging an attempted slog sweep on 46.
Sri Lanka should have had Stokes as well, with umpire Chris Gaffaney incorrectly turning down Perera’s lbw appeal when the Durham allrounder was yet to get off the mark. (AFP)
