2nd Youth Test

Sri Lanka staged a spirited fight back to save the second under 19 youth test against Bangladesh and ended the third day of the four day match on 187 for 5 wickets for a lead of 17 runs at Khulna yesterday. But they are not out of the woods and will need to put up a formidable score if they are to make a match of it and save the game.

After Bangladesh had gone on a run spree totaling 354 for a first innings lead of 160 in reply to Sri Lanka’s 184 it was a tough going for the Lankans to come back into the game. Skipper Nipun Dananjaya did well to claim 4 wickets for 35 runs with his wily off spin.

Sonal Dinusha led the fight back with a dour 55 off 148 balls and consuming 221 minutes inclusive of 4 boundaries against a tight Bangladesh bowling attack. He had good support from Nipun Dananjaya who was unbeaten on 29 and much will depend on the Sri Lankan skipper to haul his side out of the woods on the fourth and final day to save the match. Paceman Mehedi Hasan took 3 wickets for 39 for Bangladesh.

CHIEF SCORES:

Sri Lanka (U19) 184 and 187-5 at close (75 Overs)

(Kushan Wickramasinghe 24, Ravindu Rasantha 33, Sonal Dinusha 55, Nipun Dananjaya 29 n.o., Mehedi Hasan 3/29)

Bangladesh (U19) 354 (120.4 Overs)

(Meherab Hasan 33 n.o., Kushan Wickramasingha 2/19, Dulith Wellalage 2/68, Nipun Dananjaya 4/35)

By Srian Obeyesekere

-The opinions expressed here are the views of the writer and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of Sri Lanka Cricket-