By Srian Obeyesekere
Sri Lanka led Bangladesh by 211 runs with 5 second innings wickets in hand ending the second dayn on 119 for 5 after the seamers had bowled out the hosts for 188 on yet another eventful day dictated by the bowlers that left the first test hovering on the edge of a decision with three more days play left on Saturday at the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium.
Dimuth Karunaratne held the Lankan second innings together with a fighting half century as wickets toppled on the other side in another batting debacle that left the visitors lurching on 64 for 4 before skipper Dhananjaya de Silva joined the former captain in calming down things with a sober unbeaten adding 49 for the fifth wicket as Sri Lanka reached 113 for 5 losing Karunaratne just four overs from stumps as he top edged a bouncer from Shoriful Islam to Nahid Rana. It brought nightwatchman Vishwa Fernando who negotiated 19 deliveries undefeated on 2 as the day’s proceedings left the game wide open in a guessing scenario as to the final outcome.
Bangladesh, resuming from an overnight 32 for 3, was always on the backfoot in the face of the Lankan pace trio with Vishwa Fernando adding two more to his bag for a 4-wicket haul, but it was Lahiru Kumara who hastened their end claiming the first three wickets to fall accounting for Mahnudul Hasan Joy caught by Dhananjaya de Silva for 12 and Shahadat Hossain also held by De Silva for 18 in a further precipitation to 83 for 5 after 22 overs, and 124 for 6 into the fourth ball of the 35th over when he bowled Litton Das for 25. Kasun Rajitha then sent back a defiant Taijul Islam caught behind by Kusal Mendis for 47 off 80 who struck 6 boundaries – 7 for 140 after 39.2. The tail wagged as Bangladesh reached 188 with Vishwa Fernando taking a return catch off Shoriful Islam 15 and Khaled Ahmed cught behind by Mendis for 22.
The nerve edge to the contest in a seesawing battle of the bowlers domination bar the Dhananjaya de Silva-Kamindu Mendis century bravado and Karunaratne half ton with the Lankan skipper once again anting up the Lankan second innings was clearly written by the scalping of Nishan Madushka caught behind by Litton Das off Nahid Rana with the score 19 after 5.4 overs, Kusal Mendis for 3 in similar fashion giving Rana his second wicket 5.5 overs later – 32 for 2. Angelo Mathews struck a breezy 22 off 24 crossing the boundary thrice before becoming Das’ third caught behind victim off Taijul Islam. He added 32 for the third wicket with Karunaratne – Sri Lanka 60 for 3 after 17.5, but horror reigned in again when Dinesh Chandimal was leg before wicket for a second ball duck 4 runs later – 64 for 4 after 19.1. It brought Dhananjaya de Silva into the reckoning once again in steering the innings out of troubled waters.
With Bangladesh having seen the back of Karunaratne literally inches from stumps, it leaves the Lankan skipper very much shouldering the burden with his first innings companion, Kamindu Mendis, the last of the specialist batsmen to come in that guessing game as to giving the side a hammer edge lead to bowl out Bangladesh a second time.
CHIEF SCORES:
Sri Lanka 280 & 119/5 (36 Overs)
(Dimuth Karunaratne 52, Angelo Mathews 22, Nishan Madushka 10, Dhananjaya de Silva n.o. 23, Vishwa Fernando n.o. 2, Nahid Rana 2/42, Mehidy Hasan Miraz 1/5, Taijul Islam 1/12, Shoriful Islam 1/27)
Bangladesh 188 (51.3 Overs)
(Taijul Islam 47, Litton Das 25, Shoriful Islam 15, Mahidy Hasan Miraz 11, Khaled Ahmed 22,Vishwa Fernando 4/48, Lahiru Kumara 3/31, Kasun Rajitha 3/56)
