Hales Bairstow rescue England with 88 run unbeaten stand

LEEDS: A diligent half-century from Alex Hales, coupled with some home-ground know-how from Jonny Bairstow, helped England to regroup with a 88-run stand for the sixth wicket on the first day of the first Test against Sri Lanka, after their ambitions had been dramatically dented by the loss of five wickets for 34 runs either side of the lunch break.By tea, Hales was unbeaten on 71, his second Test half-century in nine innings and his highest yet, beating the 60 he made against South Africa at Cape Town in January.At the other end was Bairstow, who arrived at the crease with England’s innings in crisis at 83 for 5, but responded with the sort of sparky counter-punching. Bairstow’s 54 not out from 67 balls took the attack back to Sri Lanka, who nevertheless remained firmly in the contest at 171 for 5, thanks to Dasun Shanaka’s sensational debut breakthroughs.After being put into bat on a morning when bowling first was a no-brainer for both captains, England’s openers were obliged to rein in the extravagant strokeplay that has coloured so much of their cricket in recent months – a situation that might have been tailor-made for Alastair Cook. He began the match needing another 36 runs to reach 10,000 Test runs, and after getting off the mark with a sixth-ball clip for four through midwicket, appeared well set for the long grind until Shanaka’s introduction, in the 18th over of the day, tore up the pre-conceived script.Shanaka launched his Test career with a maiden before striking with the first ball of his second over. Cook had been leaving the ball with his usual sangfroid for most of his 52 deliveries, but having creamed one cover drive off Nuwan Pradeep, he was drawn into another from the slower, wobblier Shanaka. The full length outside off left him a touch, and Cook scuffed an edge through to Dinesh Chandimal, the keeper. He was gone for 16, and still needs another 20 runs to notch up a landmark that has been on his conscience since the start of the South Africa tour in December.Three balls later, however, such thoughts had been whisked out of England’s minds. Nick Compton – whose anxieties cannot have been aided by his team-mates’ struggles to impose themselves – poked with caution at a perfect off-stump line and length, to squeeze a low edge through to Lahiru Thirimanne at first slip. He was gone for a duck as Shanaka became only the third bowler in Test history, and the first since Richard Johnson in 2003, to claim two wickets before conceding his first career run.And, as if that was not enough of an impact on debut, Shanaka then added England’s main man to his tally, as Joe Root – in such golden touch in all formats – was also drawn into a drive that scudded to Kusal Mendis at third slip.It was a dream start for Shanaka, who had been awarded his Test cap by Mahela Jayawardene before the start of play, and a timely boost for a beleaguered Sri Lanka squad too, who began the match knowing that Dhammika Prasad, their matchwinning seamer on this ground two years ago, will miss the whole Test series after flying home to resolve a shoulder injury.By tea, however, Hales and Bairstow had provided their team with a steadying hand, as a forecast rain shower swept in from the Pennines to delay the resumption of play.