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LONDON: Jonny Bairstow admitted he was relieved he proved his critics wrong after he scored a brilliant comeback century on day one of the third Test between Sri Lanka and England.
Bairstow, playing his first Test of the series having been injured at Galle and left out at Kandy, had a point to prove as he walked to the crease with England on 22 for one. But while the tourists fell to 136 for three the 29-year-old stood firm to score 110 before being bowled by Lakshan Sandakan.
And he revealed that this was one of his most satisfying innings.
“It means a lot. There’s different things you go through, when you get castigated for being injured when they don’t know what’s going on,” Bairstow said.
“I’m desperately proud. These last couple of weeks have been tough. People who don’t see the hard work and the graft that’s going on.
“I’m proud as punch of myself of everything that I’ve done for the last few weeks — because that injury could have set me out for eight weeks.
“If you look at the challenges that have been put in front of me as a cricketer. I’d like to hope I’ve come through them all.
“I’ve not given up my keeping — I want to make that very, very clear. It’s still something I’ve worked hard on and something I want to do.
“Two people I knew at home have passed away in the last couple of weeks, so it puts things in perspective. It just shows that we’re playing a game of cricket.”
England won the toss and elected to bat and will be pleased that they ended the day on 312 for seven. But the man of the moment said there is still work to do.
“It’s been a decent day. I don’t think it’s an amazing day. A decent day. Sri Lanka’s reviews probably cost them a couple of wickets later on. We’ve got two guys at the crease who can play in their own way tomorrow morning.”
Bairstow was not the only reason why England were able to post such a good score on day one. He was helped by captain Joe Root (46) and all-rounder Ben Stokes but there will be some dismay that having got to 235 for three they lost four wickets in the last session.
Stokes having worked so hard to reach 57 was caught by Dhananjaya de Silva off the bowling of the impressive Sandakan (four for 91). Bairstow soon followed before Jos Buttler went for 16 — caught and bowled by Sandakan, and Ben Foakes, who nicked Malinda Pushpakumara to the keeper, for 13.
Moeen Ali, who has had a woeful tour with the bat — in contrast to with ball in hand — then survived an LBW review. He ended on 23 and Adil Rashid not out on 13.