Sports Reporter :
Sri Lanka (SL) made 469 for the loss of six wickets in the first innings against Bangladesh on the second day of the second Test at Pallekele International Cricket Stadium in Kandy, Sri Lanka on Friday.
Sri Lanka resumed their first innings with the overnight score of 291 for the loss of one wicket.
Lahiru Thirimanne and Oshada Fernando resumed their first innings with the overnight score of 131 and 40 runs respectively.
They put on together 22 runs on the second day before Thirimanne (140) was caught behind by wicketkeeper Liton Das off right-arm pacer Taskin Ahmed when the hosts’ total was 313 for the loss of two wickets.
After Lahiru’s dismissal, Taskin Ahmed struck again as Angelo Mathews (5) was caught behind by Liton Das off Taskin when Sri Lanka’s score was 319 for the loss of three wickets.
Third-down Dhananjaya de Silva (2) was caught at the slip by Najmul Hossain Shanto off Taijul Islam when the home side’s total was 328 for the loss of four wickets.
One-down Oshada Fernando and fourth down Pathum Nissanka made a worthy partnership. They put on together 54 runs in the fifth-wicket stand before Nissanka (30) was cleanly bowled out by Taskin Ahmed when the Islanders’ score was 382 for the loss of five wickets.
Oshada Fernando was caught behind by wicketkeeper Liton Das off Mehidy Hasan Miraz when Sri Lanka’s score was 382 for the loss of six wickets.
Oshada Fernando knocked a patient 81. His 221-ball innings saw eight shots through the ropes. It was Oshada’s 4th half-century in Test cricket. Oshada reached his 50-run landmark playing 132 balls including six fours.
After Oshada’s dismissal, Niroshan Dickwella and Ramesh Mendis contributed together 87 runs for the unbroken seventh wicket partnership before the second day’s play was stopped due to bad light.
Dickwella remained unbeaten with 64. He hit seven fours in his run-a-ball innings. It was Dickwella’s 18th Test half-century.
Ramesh Mendis remained unbeaten with 22.
Right-arm pacer Taskin Ahmed restored some parity for his team. He grabbed three wickets at the cost of 119 runs.
Left-arm spinner Taijul Islam and right-arm spinner Mehidy Hasan Miraz took one wicket each for 83 and 102 runs respectively.
