Dhananjaya puts on a show in Galle  

Rex Clementine in Galle  

When he gets going Dhananjaya de Silva makes batting look all too easy and after a couple of hostile spells by Pakistan’s quicks, Sri Lanka’s number six put up a splendid show and rescued the team from a tricky situation.

Sri Lanka had been reduced to 54 for four after Naseem Shah and Shaheen Afridi claimed four wickets in the morning session and it was left for Dhananjaya and Angelo Mathews to rescue the innings.

Mathews had looked shaky against Pakistan’s quicks, but once the spinners came on he looked much more comfortable and although the quicks were called back to have another crack, by that stage he was well set. Both the fast bowlers didn’t have much venom once the new ball had lost its shine.

Shaheen finished with three wickets with the first wicket taking his tally to 100 Test wickets. Naseem bowled so well but with little luck and certainly deserved more than the solitary wicket.

Mathews added 131 runs for the fifth wicket with Dhananjaya as Sri Lanka fought their way back after the shaky start.

Dhananjaya was the more dominant partner cutting loose with clever use of his feet. Pakistan’s spin looked ordinary sending down too many loose balls and you wondered whether they would have been better off with the additional seam bowling option rather than going into the game with three spinners.

Mathews was dismissed for 64 when he was caught behind by Sarfraz Ahmed off the bowling of Abrar Ahmed.

Dhananjaya then added 57 runs for the sixth wicket with wicketkeeper Sadeera Samarawickrama, who looked positive from the start.

Samarawickrama was dismissed in the last over before stumps for 36 having hit four fours while Dhananjaya was on 94 off 157 balls with nine fours and three sixes.

It has been a solid effort by Dhananjaya under pressure and if Sri Lanka were able to post a total beyond 300 that could give them the edge in the game.

Only 65.4  overs of the scheduled 90 were possible on the opening day due to rain. Play will get underway 15 minutes early today to catch up for the lost time.

A 1-0 series win will help Sri Lanka overtake Pakistan in the ICC Test Rankings. Pakistan are ranked sixth, just above Sri Lanka.

This is both teams’ first game in the World Test Championship.

The second Test begins at Sinhalese Sports Club ground next week.