Sri Lanka’s openers, Tillakaratne Dilshan and Tharanga Paranavitana, survived a tricky short session until tea on the first day in Cardiff, as the visitors reached 35 without loss, after frequent showers delayed the start until mid-afternoon. England’s three-man pace attack couldn’t force a breakthrough in the initial 16 overs although there were the occasional moments of discomfort for both batsmen.

 

Dilshan won the toss at 2.15pm but another heavy shower meant it was more than an hour before play began. There wasn’t a huge amount of early swing for James Anderson but he was accurate and beat Dilshan with a couple that moved away late. Stuart Broad’s opening over cost 11 as Paranavitana clipped the first ball for four then Dilshan drove a boundary through mid-off, although Broad also made a couple nip off the pitch.

 

In general, though, Broad’s first spell of four overs confirmed the suspicion that he is still a little undercooked after just two Championship matches for Nottinghamshire. He was replaced by Chris Tremlett who found a splice-jarring length although there wasn’t much pace in the pitch. There were also signs of a little uneven as Matt Prior took some balls by his bootlaces.

 

It was an impressive effort by the openers to battle through in conditions where England will have expected to make inroads. Paranavitana dominated the strike, leaving well outside off, taking the occasion blow on the body and being alert to the quick single. When Dilshan reached 11 he passed 4000 Test runs and, apart from one attempt to slam Anderson through the covers, restrained his normal attacking instincts until slashing Broad over gully at the start of his second spell.

 

England did have two big appeals against Paranavitana, the first for a catch down the leg side and the second when he was squared up and taken at first slip. On both occasions Andrew Strauss declined to use the DRS and it proved a wise move as the umpires, Aleem Dar and Billy Doctrove, were shown to be spot on.