Sports Reporter :
Bangladesh piled up a mammoth total of 513 in the first innings against Sri Lanka on the second day of the first Test at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chittagong on Thursday.
In reply, Sri Lanka fought back making 187 for the loss of one wicket at the close of the second day of the match.
Sri Lanka trailed by 326 runs in the first innings from Bangladesh with nine wickets in hand.
Bangladesh resumed their first innings with the over-night score of 374 for the loss of four wickets.
Mominul Haque (175) and Mahmudullah Riyad (9) resumed their first innings but Mominul could add just one run on the second day as he was caught at the short leg by Kusal Mendis off Rangana Herath when Bangladesh’s total was 376 for the loss of five wickets.
Fifth-down Mosaddek Hossain (8) was caught at the mid-on by Lakshan Sandakan off Rangana Herath when the hosts’ score was 390 for the loss of six wickets.
Sixth-down Mehedi Hasan Miraz (20) was run out by a joint effort off Lahiru Kumara and wicketkeeper Niroshan Dickwella when the home side’s total was 417 for the loss of seven wickets.
Then Mahmudullah Riyad and Sunzamul Islam built a notable partnership. They put on together 58 runs in the eighth wicket stand before Sunzamul Islam (24) was stumped out by Niroshan Dickwella off Sandakan when the team’s total was 475 for the loss of eight wickets.
Mahmudullah Riyad resisted the Sri Lankan bowling attack. He remained unbeaten with 83. His 134-ball captain’s knock was studded with seven fours and two sixes. It was Riyad’s 15th Test half century.
Number-10 batsman Taijul Islam (1) was bowled out by Rangana Herath when the hosts’ score was 478 for the loss of nine wickets.
Mustafizur Rahman (8) was caught behind by Niroshan Dickwella off Suranga Lakmal when Bangladesh’s innings came to an end.
Suranga Lakmal, Rangana Herath and Lakshan Sandakan shine with the cherry.
Lakmal and Herath grabbed three wickets each at the cost of 68 and 150 runs respectively, while Sandakan got two wickets conceding 92 runs.
Later, Sri Lanka had a poor start as they lost their opener Dimuth Karunaratne (0) when Sri Lanka did not open their account. Mehedi Hasan Miraz gave his team early breakthrough as Karunaratne was caught at the first slip by Imrul Kayes from a delivery of Miraz.
Then opener Kusal Mendis and one-down Dhananjaya de Silva repaired the damage contributing together 187 runs for the unbroken second wicket stand.
Dhananjaya de Silva remained unbeaten with 104. His 127-ball innings was laced with 15 fours. It was his 4th Test hundred.
Kusal Mandis remained unbeaten with 83. His 152-ball calm innings was belted six fours and a sixer. It was his fifth Test half century.
