Sports Reporter :
The first Test cricket match between Bangladesh and Sri Lanka ended in a tame draw on the fifth and final day at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chattogram on Thursday.
Elected to bat first, Sri Lanka made 397 in the first innings on the second day (Monday).
In reply, Bangladesh piled up a mammoth total of 465 in the first innings on the fourth day (Wednesday).
Later, Sri Lanka scored 260 for the loss of six wickets before the bails were drawn for the final day.
Sri Lanka resumed their second innings with the over-night score of 39 for the loss of two wickets.
Dimuth Karunaratne resumed his second innings with the over-night score of 18.
Karunaratne and Kusal Mendis added together 67 runs for the third wicket partnership before Kusal Mendis was bowled out by Taijul Islam when Sri Lanka’s total was 160 for the loss of three wickets.
Mendis made 48 from 43 balls featuring eight fours and a sixer.
After Kusal’s removal, Angelo Mathews (0) was caught & bowled by Taijul Islam when the visitors’ score was 110 for the loss of four wickets.
After Angelo’s departure, Karunaratne and Dhananjaya de Silva put on together 33 runs in the fifth wicket stand before Karunaratne was caught at the midwicket by Mominul Haque off Taijul Islam when the tourists’ total was 143 for the loss of five wickets.
Karunaratne hit a captain’s knock of 52. His 138-ball innings saw two fours. It was Karunaratne’s 28th half-century in Test cricket.
After Karunaratne’s departure, Dhananjaya de Silva was caught at the midwicket by Mushfiqur Rahim off Shakib Al Hasan when the islanders’ score was 161 for the loss of six wickets.
Dhananjaya scored 33 from 60 deliveries with three fours and a sixer.
After Dhananjaya’s dismissal, Dinesh Chandimal and Niroshan Dickwella put on together 99 runs for the unbroken seventh wicket partnership before the umpires drew the bails.
Dickwella remained unbeaten with 61 runs. His 96-ball innings was ornamented with six fours. It was Dickwella’s 20th half-century in Test cricket.
Chandimal remained unbeaten with 39 runs. His 135-ball knock had four fours and a sixer.
Taijul Islam captured four wickets at the cost of 82 runs, while Shakib Al Hasan took one wicket for 58 runs.
Earlier, Angelo Mathews hit a superb 199 in the first innings. Mathews was adjudged the Man of the Match.
Dashing opener Tamim Iqbal notched up a marvelous 133, while Mushfiqur Rahim made a superb 105.
Right-arm off-spinner Nayeem Hasan grabbed six wickets in the space of 105 runs.
