New Delhi, Jan. 18 -- England won the first Test against Sri Lanka by seven wickets on Monday with Jonny Bairstow and Dan Lawrence negotiating a "tricky" finish to to take them to safety. After losing three quick wickets before the overnight close, Bairstow and Lawrence steadied the innings and scored the required 36 runs in less than 10 overs on the final day. "It was tricky," admitted Bairstow, who hit the last runs with a four in the empty stadium in Galle, with just a lone England fan watching from a fort overlooking the ground.
The crumbling pitch gave Sri Lanka's spinners hopes of claiming more wickets but Bairstow (35) and Lawrence (21) took England to 76-3 after resuming at 38-3. Sri Lanka called a review on one Dilruwan Perera bal...