Giles saves England in first test
GALLE, Sri Lanka (Reuters) -- England's tailenders defied Sri Lanka's spinners during a tense final session to draw the first Test on Saturday.
The visitors, set an improbable 323 to win, looked on the brink of defeat at tea on 171-7, but then lost just two wickets in 31 overs to finish on 210-9 when bad light stopped play.
Ashley Giles (17), who faced 111 balls and batted for nearly two hours, anchored England's rearguard action.
Half of that time was spent partnering Gareth Batty (26) who was bowled by Muttiah Muralitharan an hour before the end in fading light.
Giles and Richard Johnson, surrounded by a cluster of fielders, survived a further 41 minutes before Johnson played onto his stumps.
Last man Matthew Hoggard and Giles then faced 19 deliveries before the umpires offered bad light with 21 minutes remaining.
Mark Butcher (54) and Paul Colingwood (36) had provided the main top-order resistance after the morning loss of Michael Vaughan, Marcus Trescothick and Graham Thorpe.
Muralitharan followed his seven wickets in the first innings with four for 47 from 37 overs in the second, to finish with 11 for 93, his 12th ten-wicket haul in 83 matches.
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