Sri Lanka land late blows to dent Bangladesh reply on Day 2

Sri Lanka have landed blows late in the third session to knock down Bangladesh’s strong base in their first innings on the second day of the Colombo Test.

Tami Iqbal (49) and Soumya Sarkar (61) stitched up a solid 95-run stand at the top of the order for the Tigers who were still 125 runs behind the hosts at stumps on 214 for 5 at the P Sara Oval on Thursday.

Bangladesh appeared to cruising on 192 for 2 when legspinner Lakshan Sandakan (3-65) struck twice in an over before pacer Suranga Lakmal took another wicket to leave the visitors struggling on 198 for 5.

In the morning, Dinesh Chandimal struck a sparkling century as the islanders stubbornly resisted to add 100 runs to their overnight score, much to the frustration of the tourists.

After Sri Lanka were bowled out for 338, Tamim and Soumya showed good resilience to follow-up their century and half-century partnerships from Galle with a fine effort in Bangladesh’s 100th Test.

Tamim showed good technique and used his wrists to crack six boundaries in his 91-ball delivery. He survived two loud lbw appeals when Sri Lanka opted against going for the review. Replays showed he would have been out if they had.

Sri Lanka, however, successfully reviewed another decision to send Tamim back before tea after he paired with Soumya for Bangladesh’s third successive fifty-plus opening stand.

Soumya, at the other end, displayed powerful strokeplay and looked good for a big innings. Sandakan got his man with a fine wrong’ un to reduce Bangladesh to 130 for 2.

Sabbir and Imrul Kayes, who was dropped on 25 by Chandimal, steadied the ship with the former showing some natural aggression and the latter sedate.

They steadily kept the scoreboard ticking, cropping up 62 runs in the third wicket but with four overs left in the day the tourists were rocked.

Sri Lanka clawed back through Sandakan who landed a double-strike to remove Imrul and nightwatchman Taijul Islam in successive deliveries to be on a hat-trick.

Although Shakib Al Hasan fended off the hat-trick opportunity with a sweep, Sabbir went for an untimely pull in the next over and miscued to be caught at leg gully as Bangladesh lost three wickets in the space of seven deliveries.

Despite that, Shakib (18 not out) did not hold back from playing his shots and was dropped twice in his eight deliveries faced. Mushfiqur Rahim was batting on 2 at the other end.

Earlier, mulish resistance from the lower order led by Chandimal helped Sri Lanka post 338.

Chandimal, who had gone in at four, batted superbly showing grit and patience to hold the Sri Lanka innings together, stitching up crucial two identical 55-run partnerships for the eighth and ninth wicket.

Having reached his eighth Test century off 244 balls, he raised the tempo and laced his innings with 10 boundaries and a six to score 138 falling to Mehedi Hasan Miraz.

After putting up a fine display on the first day of their 100th Test, Bangladesh bowlers suffered a lapse through the morning of the second.

They allowed the islanders to add 100 runs to their overnight score of 238 for 7 as Lakmal scored 35 useful runs before Subashis Roy took him out to end the Sri Lanka innings on the stroke of lunch.

Shakib gave Bangladesh the first wicket of the day by taking out Sri Lanka skipper Rangana Herath (25).

Miraz was the pick of the Bangladesh bowlers, returning 3 for 90. Mustafizur Rahman, Shakib and Subashis grabbed two wickets each.