10 June,2016 07:51 AM IST | | PTI
Jonny Bairstow rode his luck to again rescue England from a top-order collapse with a century on the first day of the third Test against Sri Lanka at Lord’s yesterday
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London: Jonny Bairstow rode his luck to again rescue England from a top-order collapse with a century on the first day of the third Test against Sri Lanka at Lord's yesterday.
England's Jonny Bairstow celebrates his century against Sri Lanka at Lord's yesterday. Pic/Getty Images
At stumps, England were 279-6, having been 84 for four when Bairstow (107 not out) came to the crease. It had been a similar story when Bairstow revived England from the depths of 83-5 in the first Test with a superb 140 on his Headingley home ground in a match England eventually won by an innings and 88 runs.
Lucky Jonny
Rather than scoring a maiden Test century at Lord's, Bairstow should have been out for 11 yesterday when he clipped Nuwan Pradeep firmly off his pads straight to mid-wicket only for Shaminda Eranga to drop the catch.
Apart from Bairstow, only England captain Alastair Cook (85), who won the toss in sunny conditions ideal for batting, passed fifty yesterday, with Chris Woakes 23 not out at stumps.
Brief scores
England 279-6 (J Bairstow 107', A Cook 85; R Herath 2-45, S Lakmal 2-66) vs Sri Lanka