Dilruwan Perera and Suranga Lakmal combined to reduce Bangladesh to 56/4 at stumps on day 1 of the 2nd Test between Sri Lanka and Bangladesh at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Dhaka. In reply to Sri Lanka’s 1st innings total of 222, Bangladesh ended day 1 trailing by 166.
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Earlier in the day, Sri Lanka lost Dimuth Karunaratne cheaply, after winning the toss and batting 1st, with the left hander becoming veteran Abdur Razzak’s 1st Test victim in 4 years. Despite the loss of the senior batsman, Kusal Mendis and Dhananjaya De Silva once again took the attack to the opposition, putting on 47 runs in just over 10 overs. The pair looked comfortable at the crease before De Silva was done in by some good bowling by left arm spinner Taijul Islam. Sri Lanka lost their way from that point on and despite Mendis getting to his 5th Test half century, the visitors were in trouble at 110/6 with Taijul and Razzak accounting for Mendis, Danushka Gunathilake, Dinesh Chandimal and Niroshan Dickwella.
All Roshen Silva’s 1st class experience was put to the test as the wickets fell at the other end and he was left to guide the lower order. Dilruwan Perera added a valuable 31 runs while Akila Dananjaya contributed with 20 as the pair combined with Silva to put on partnerships of 52 and 43 respectively. Silva expertly maneuvered the field to bring up his 3rd consecutive 50+ score and was the last man to go for 56.
With the pitch certainly not behaving like a day one surface, Sri Lanka’s call to play just the one fast bowler seemed to be the right one. However, it was fast bowler Lakmal who struck the early blow for the visitors, taking a sharp return catch to dismiss Tamim Iqbal in the 1st over of the Bangladeshi innings.
Mominul Haque was the next man to fall and it was quick work from Sri Lanka in the field that accounted for the man who made twin centuries in the last Test in Chittagong. Imrul Kayes struck the ball to the man at mid-off and took off for a single which would have been a comfortable one if Mominul had creased his bat. The left hander was too casual at the striker’s end and when Dickwella took the bails off, his bat was in the air.
Mushfiqur Rahim was given a chance when Dickwella dropped an absolute sitter and then had another life when an LBW decision given against him was overturned on review. His luck finally gave out when he shouldered arms to a Lakmal delivery that was too close to the stumps and got his off stump pegged back. At 12/3 in 9 overs Bangladesh were in dire straits but Kayes and wicketkeeper Liton Das then put on 33 runs for the 4th wicket. Kayes was the last man dismissed during the day, out LBW to the bowling of Dilruwan Perera.
With the pitch keeping low on day 1, it will take some good batting from the hosts if they are to get close to Sri Lanka’s first innings total.
Both teams made two changes to their playing XIs coming into this game, with Sri Lanka leaving out Lakshan Sandakan and Lahiru Kumara for Akila Dananjaya (debut) and Danushka Gunathilake while Bangladesh brought in Sabbir Rahman and Abdur Razzak in place of Mosaddek Hossain and Sunzamul Islam.
