Bangladesh bowlers dominate opening day as Chandimal keeps Sri Lanka afloat

Bangladesh bowlers have kept Sri Lanka batsmen on a leash with timely wickets on the opening day of their 100th Test in Colombo.

A gritty unbeaten 86 from Dinesh Chandimal held the hosts’ innings together as Sri Lanka reached 238 for 7 before bad light ended play early at the P Sara Oval in Colombo on Wednesday.

After Sri Lanka asked Bangladesh to field on a track which promised to assist the batsmen, the bowlers had the hosts on their backfoot early into the match.

With the track producing reasonable pace and bounce for the seamers and turn for the spinners, the Tigers grabbed four wickets in the morning session before Chandimal led recovery.

Mustafizur Rahman drew first blood for Bangladesh after Sri Lanka were off to a sluggish start.

Opener Dimuth Karunaratne (7 off 32 balls) played a loose drive away from the body and Mehedi Hasan Miraz held on to a stunning catch in the slips.

Wily Miraz then struck twice in quick succession to put Bangladesh on top.

A well-flighted dipper sent back Kusal Mendis (5) before Upul Tharanga (11) edged back a turner to be dismissed.

Pacer Subashis Roy then took out Asela Gunaratne (13) at the stroke of lunch to leave Sri Lanka tottering on 70 for 4.

Chandimal then took charge and put up a 66-run fifth-wicket resistance with Dhananjaya de Silva (34), but Bangladesh took out the later with spin to cut their recovery short.

Chandimal hit only four boundaries in his patient unbeaten knock and was closing on his eighth test century after facing 210 balls.

Skipper Rangana Herath was giving him company batting on 18 at stumps while Dhananjaya de Silva and Niroshan Dickwella chipped in with an identical 34.

Bangladesh suffered a dent when Imrul Kayes, back in the fold after missing the first Test in Galle, limped off the field with a swelling on the toe.

Trailing the two-Test series 1-0, Bangladesh made four changes to their lineup from the last Test, handing Mosaddek Hossain his debut.