Sri Lanka captain Dhananjaya de Silva hit 74 to help his team fight back from a perilous position and reach tea at 178 for eight on Day One of the first Test against England here on Wednesday. At the time of going to press, SL were bowled out for 236.

With the tourists struggling on 113-7, de Silva put on an eighth-wicket partnership of 63 with test debutant Milan Rathnayake before getting dismissed just before the interval. That was one of three Sri Lankan wickets to fall in the second session, along with Kamindu Mendis (12) and Prabath Jayasuriya (10).