Thanks to dropping the catches of openers Nishan Madushka and Dimuth Karunaratne and a prolific batting display from Kusal Mendis, put Sri Lanka on top on Day One of the first Test of two-match series.
Sri Lanka batters Dimuth Karunaratne and Kusal Mendis despite missing to score centuries, put Sri Lanka led the first day of the second Test against Bangladesh in Chattogram on Saturday.
Nishan Madushka, Dimuth Karunaratne, who had lives at the early stage of their innings, set a solid platform at the opening stand. Later on Dimuth Karunaratne and Kushal Mendis scored a 114-run in second wicket stand and boosted the Lankans to 314 for four at stumps.
Karunaratne was the first victim of debutant Mahmud Hasan when he was bowled for 86 and that was the Mahmud’s maiden Test wicket.
Kushal Mendis, who always a crucial man for the team was just seven runs short to reach his hundred, edged one to slip to give Shakib Al Hasan.
Dinesh Chandimal and skipper Dhananjaya de Silva closed the day’s game with 34 and 15 runs respectively, as Sri Lankans are in commanding position.
The Sri Lankans took the full advantage of not only the batting paradise pitch but also dropping catch from Bangladesh fielders after opting to bat first.
Sri Lankan captain Kushal Mendis did not hesitate deciding to bat first after winning the toss at Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium, Chattogram.
Sri Lanka capitalising the batting favour pitch and proper utilization of missed chances of Tigers’ fielders visitors amassed 88 run sat lunch losing no wicket.
Tigers also had to regret of missing chances, as Sri Lank took the commanding position of Day One. Early of the innings pacers Khaled Mahmud and the debutant pacer Hassan Mahmud had a bit move and the batters had to wait for few times to play shot but when chances came very rarely for the bowlers to have wickets, fielders looked careless on every occasion.
Tigers had the best and the easiest chance in the very sixth over with debutant pacer Hasan Mahmud tempting an edge off the bat of opener Nishan Madushka. When the right-hander was on nine, only to see Mahmudul Hasan Joy fumble at second slip. It was very much disappointing as Joy failed to grip the ball came directly at a very comfortable height.
Then Dimuth Karunaratne, the other Sri Lankan opener, survived a run-out scare in the 16th over. The openers looked in doubleminded while trying to sneak a single, playing a Khaled Ahmed delivery towards point region.
Karunaratne, who was batting with 18 runs, went almost halfway through the pitch before deciding to come back, and a direct hit from Mehedi Hasan Miraz at point narrowly missed, which could have seen the end of the left-hander's innings.
Karunaratne, on 22, once again survived in the 22nd over when Shakib Al Hasan at fine leg unable to position himself and to judge properly. Though it was tough for a catch but reachable if judged properly when the batter top-edged a Hasan bouncer.