The fulsome tribute from captain to wicketkeeper came at the end of a series which England won 2-0 courtesy of a drawn third Investec Test at Lord’s.
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Silva and Karunaratne (50) put on 108, and then Kusal Mendis provided further Sri Lankan solidity in another unbroken half-century stand to put England’s own efforts with the bat into new context.
Sri Lanka, well-placed at 162 for one overnight, were 218 for six at lunch – 198 runs behind England’s first innings 416. Silva was the man of the series for Sri Lanka.
Alastair Cook called a premature close to England’s innings after a personal score of 49 not out.
Sri Lanka’s cricketer Dasun Shanaka joins fans in a game of cricket as rain stops play during third cricket Test match between England and Sri Lanka at Lord’s cricket ground in London Monday June 13, 2016.
The 31-year-old Essex batsman, who, during the series became the first Englishman and the youngest from any country, to score 10,000 Test runs, singled out Alex Hales and Chris Woakes for praise.
But when it came to positives to take from the series Cook was in no doubt that the biggest was sitting next to him at the top table in the form of Bairstow whose 397 runs and 19 catches earned him the man of the series bauble.
England went to the break with its second innings at 206-6 and a lead of 334 in a bid to sweep the three-test series.
“It was a gutting moment but it was a good ball, and I’d have taken that (94) at the start of the Test match”.
It fell to Cook to reflect on England’s Test success, and specifically the part played by Bairstow – whose batting he likens to that of three-time Ashes-winner Matt Prior. “Jonny knows how hard he has to work at his ‘keeping and he knows a couple of chances have gone down”.
The tourists reached 32 without loss the previous evening, with a scheduled 98 overs still to be bowled.
Only 22 balls were possible between lunch and tea after rain washed out the first session, but that was long enough for Sri Lanka to lose opener Kaushal Silva.
But he was dropped on 19 when Dimuth Karunaratne failed to hold a one-handed slip chance off paceman Pradeep.
“In South Africa I was a bit tentative, not leaving as many balls as I should have done outside off stump”.
Several close Decision Review System calls went against Sri Lanka on Sunday and Sumathipala said: “If the decisions are continually happening against you many times then they (the players) will get demoralised”.
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Lahiru Thirimanne and Dinesh Chandimal tried to dig Sri Lanka out of trouble, and moved past 200 together.
