BAIRSTOW HITS CENTURY BUT LANKA FIGHT BACK

COLOMBO: Jonny Bairstow laid down a marker to be England’s permanent No 3 on Friday but Sri Lanka clawed their way back into the final Test with late wickets. At stumps on Day One, England, 2-0 up in the series, were 312-7, Bairstow having made 110 after valuable partnerships with Joe Root and Ben Stokes, who made a half-century.

Brief scores: England 1st inngs (312-7) (J Root 46, B Stokes 57, J Bairstow 110; L Sandakan 4-91, m Pushpakumara 2-64)

Teenage B’desh bowler Nayeem sets Test record

CHITTAGONG: Teenage Bangladesh off-spinner Nayeem Hasan became the youngest player to take five wickets on debut but West Indies’ spinners matched him to restore parity in the first Test in Chittagong on Friday. Nayeem, who was 17 years 355 days old at the start of the game, finished with 5-61, as Bangladesh bowled out the West Indies for 246 to take a 78-run first innings lead. But the hosts were unable to cash in on the advantage, slumping to 55 for five in their second innings at stumps on the second day for a lead of just 133 runs. Brief scores: Bangladesh 1st inngs 324 (overnight 315-8) & 55/5 (J Warrican 2-22, Chase 2-16); West Indies 1st inngs 246 all out (S Hetmyer 63, N Hasan 5-61)

Ngidi suffers knee injury, to miss Pakistan series

CAPE TOWN: Fast bowler Lungi Ngidi will miss all of South Africa’s matches against Pakistan this season after suffering a knee injury. Cricket South Africa said Ngidi had sustained a right knee ligament injury while fielding in a T20 against Australia last week. Ngidi will miss three Tests, five ODIS and three T20s during the tour between December 24 and February 6.