1st Test: Dhananjaya de Silva hits valiant half-century versus England
Sri Lankan Test team captain Dhananjaya de Silva bailed his side out from a position of bother on Day 1 of the first Test against England at Emirates Old Trafford, Manchester. Sri Lanka were in all sorts of trouble and were reeling at 113/7. Dhananjaya was supported by debutant Milan Priyanath Rathnayake as the two added 63 runs. Shoaib Bashir dismissed Dhananjaya thereafter.
A positive knock from the skipper's blade
Dhananjaya walked in with Sri Lanka's score reading 40/4. At lunch, the visitors were 80/5 with Dhananjaya batting on 28 from 25 balls. In the 2nd session, Sri Lanka were 113/7 before Rathnayake supported his skipper. Dhananjaya played as per his strengths and kept the scorecard moving. He got to his fifty from 56 balls and kept playing his shots.
Bashir gets the key man
England spinner Bashir got the wicket of Dhananjaya and broke a valiant stand. A tossed up delivery on middle and leg saw Dhananjaya opting for a glance. He found the fielder at leg slip. Dhananjaya walked back to a standing ovation.
15th Test fifty for Dhananjaya
Dhananjaya hammered eight fours in his knock of 74. He struck at 88.10. He has raced to 3,656 runs at 41.07. He smashed his 15th Test half-century. Notably, he owns 12 hundreds as well. As per ESPNcricinfo, in four matches versus England, Dhananjaya owns 242 runs at 34.57 (50s: 3). In 31 away matches, Dhananjaya owns 1,979 runs at 40.38 (100s: 6, 50s: 8).
