Relief for Giles after two frustrating Tests

Ashley Giles, one of England's two spinning heroes on the first day of the Third Test against Sri Lanka in Colombo, said that he had enjoyed the day after two frustrating Tests where injury and poor form had produced only one wicket.

"I'd have liked a couple more wickets, but the most important thing is that I'm happy with the way I bowled," he said.

He said it was hard to swallow the not out decision given to a ball that had spun and appeared to take de Silva's bat, but said: "No blame on the umpire. That's cricket. The batsmen can wait for a decision and the umpire can't always see it is out."

Giles and Croft toiled away in the humid heat, sharing 58 overs between them for a miserly 96 runs and five wickets. They were both instrumental in Sri Lanka's collapse from a healthy 204/3 to 221/7 at the close.

Giles gave credit to Croft for his performance. "Croft's done really well. When one of you isn't performing, it's important that the other one is. He's done really well this tour."

However, he sounded a note of caution over his niggling Achilles injury. "It is a problem. It's getting progressively worse, if anything. We'll try and get through it and sort it out when we get home."

On a lighter note, he said the dressing room were quite happy at the news of Australia's defeat to India in their Second Test in Kolkata. "It shows they're only human," he said.