In contrasting fashion, Sri Lanka and England approached their batting on the opening day of the Test in Galle, and the visitors produced considerably better results on the turner, finishing the day on 127 for 2 after bowling out the hosts for 135 - the lowest ever first innings score at the venue, agencies report.
Unlike the hosts, England picked their timing of attack. For most parts of their innings, all batters were happier to be on the forward defensive, even if troubled and beaten for long stretches.
Dom Sibley, though, ended back in the pavilion when his attempted defense wasn't good enough as Lasith Embuldeniya got the ball to turn away and kiss the outside edge of his bat before heading to the slip fielder.
Soon enough, Zak Crawley joined his opening partner in the dressing room after failing to chip a delivery far enough and was caught by Wanindu Hasaranga, who took a catch running backwards. With England at 17 for 2, Sri Lanka were back on level terms in the contest for the first time since the first hour of play.
Thereafter, Joe Root and Jonny Bairstow survived some disciplined spin bowling by Sri Lanka's duo of Dilruwan Perera and Embuldeniya. Root was even adjudged legbefore off the left-arm spinner before his review allowed him to prolong the innings. The English captain batted through to stumps, mostly defending but also ensuring that he was putting away the deliveries that offered him the opportunity. In the process, he brought up his 50th Test fifty and stretched the innings to 66 till the end of the day's play.
Bairstow, playing second fiddle in the partnership, maintained a similar tempo and approach. Despite looking more troubled that his captain, he maintained patience if not the application of the highest quality to finish the day on 47*, and take the team only 8 shy of Sri Lanka's first innings total. Together, the duo ensured that the good of Stuart Broad's early strikes and Dom Bess's fifer wasn't undone.
