Jayawardene thwarts England in first Test

Skipper Mahela Jayawardene crafted a classy century to steer Sri Lanka out of trouble on the opening day of the first Test against England in Galle on Monday. Jayawardene hit an unbeaten 168 as the hosts recovered from a disastrous 15-3 by the fourth over to move to 289-8 by stumps at a Galle International Stadium packed with some 8,000 English supporters.
Fast bowler James Anderson claimed two wickets off successive balls in his second over and new-ball partner Stuart Broad chipped in with the third after Sri Lanka won the toss and elected to bat. Jayawardene retrieved the situation by adding 52 for the fourth wicket with Thilan Samaraweera (20) and 61 for the fifth with young batsman Dinesh Chandimal (27).
Tailender Rangana Herath contributed just five runs in an eighth-wicket stand of 62 with his captain, who reached his 30th century with a paddle sweep off Graeme Swann for a boundary. As the bowlers wilted under the hot sun, England were left to rue three dropped catches - two by Monty Panesar and one by Anderson - that reprieved Jayawardene.
The Sri Lankan captain has so far hit 20 boundaries and three sixes. Jayawardene surpassed Australian legend Don Bradman's tally of 29 Test hundreds and moved to fourth place among those still playing at the top level behind Sachin Tendulkar (51), Jacques Kallis (42) and Ricky Ponting (41). Number 10 Chanaka Welegedara kept Jayawardene company at stumps on 10, the pair having added 36 valuable runs.
Anderson, who had a review for leg-before wicket against opener Lahiru Thirimanne turned down in his first over, removed the left-hander in his second over to make Sri Lanka 11-1. Thirimanne hung his bat out to edge an easy catch to Swann at second slip and give Anderson his 250th wicket in his 67th Test. Mahela Jayawardene denied Anderson a hat-trick with a defensive push, but lost his partner Tillakaratne Dilshan in Broad's next over.

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Scoreboard

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Sri Lanka 1st innings

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L. Thirimanne c Swann b Anderson       3

T. Dilshan c Strauss b Broad          11

K. Sangakkara c Prior b Anderson       0

M. Jayawardene not out               168

T. Samaraweera run out                20

D. Chandimal c Bell b Patel           27

P. Jayawardene lbw b Anderson         23

S. Randiv run out                     12

R. Herath lbw b Patel                  5

C. Welegedara not out                 10

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Extras: (lb6, nb4)                    10

Total: (for 8 wkts, 90 overs)        289

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