By Srian Obeyesekere
Despite a second innings shocker losing all the batting cream in a 102-run debacle for 6 wickets with the exception of Angelo Mathews who stood firm with a fighting unbeaten 39 and opener Nishan Madushka’s 34 off 45 containing 5 boundaries, Sri Lanka yet remained in control to leading Bangladesh by a massive 455 having bowled out the hosts for 178 in their first essay at stumps in the second test match at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdury Stadium, Chattogram on Monday.
By and large former captain, Mathews remained Sri Lanka’s last bastion to setting Bangladesh a 500 target with the rest of the big guns including the hitherto three figure dominating duo of skipper Dhananjaya de Silva and Kamindu Mendis back in the pavilion for scores of 1 and 9 in the face of Bangladesh’s new ball bowlers Hasan Mahmud 4 for 51 and Khaled Ahmed 2 for 29 triggering the rip off with Dimuth Karunaratne 4, Dinesh Chandimal 9, Dhananjaya de Silva and Madushka claimed by Mahmud while Ahmed accounted for Kusal Mendis 2 and Kamindu Mendis.
The Lankans outset domination of bundling out Bangladesh for 178 for a comprehensive 353 first innings lead their batsmen apparently sought to snowball to bigger proportions of pushing for a 500-plus lead instead of not enforcing the follow was an apparent complacent rush for runs in losing quick wickets after pacers Asitha Fernando 4 for 34, Lahiru Kumara 2 for 19 and Vishwa Fernando 2 for 38, and spinner Prabath Jayasuriya 2 for 66 had caused the Bangladesh rot. Vishwa Fernando saw the back of top scorer opening batsman Zakir Hasan clean bowling him for 54 which came off 104 balls inclusive of 8 boundaries while Prabath Jayasuriya claimed the prize wicket of Bangladsh skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto for 1 held by Dimuth Karunaratne for 1 off 11 in a continuation of a bad run in the two tests.
CHIEF SCORES:
Sri Lanka 531 & 102/6 (25 Overs) RR: 4.08
(Angelo Mathews n.o. 39, Nishan Madushka 34, Hasan Mahmud 4/51, Khaled Ahmed 2/29)
Bangladsh 178 (68.4 Overs) RR: 2.59
(Zakir Hasan 54, Mominul Haque 33, Taijul Islam 22, Mahmudul Hasan Joy 21, Shakib Al-Hasan 15, Asitha Fernando 4/34, Lahiru Kumara 2/19, Vishwa Fernando 2/38, Prabath Jayasuriya 2/66)
