Spinners keep things tight but Mendis, Mathews keep hosts at bay
Sri Lanka were 158 for two at the end of the second session. Both Mathews and Mendis were unbeaten on 54. The partnership between them was an unbroken 92 at that point.
Left-arm spin duo of Shakib Al Hasan and Taijul Islam kept things tight in the second session with the ball but the experienced pair of Angelo Mathews and Kusal Mendis kept Bangladesh bowlers at bay. After Nayeem Hasan's double strike in the morning session, the hosts toiled hard but couldn't find a breakthrough in the afternoon session.
Sri Lanka were the happier side at the toss and elected to bat first. Skipper Dimuth Karunaratne and Oshada Fernando opened the innings. Shoriful Islam was impressive early on as he beat the bat quite a few times. But Khaled Ahmed bowled quite a few unfruitful short balls and got punished, forcing Mominul Haque to replace him with offspinner Nayeem Hasan.
In his comeback game, Nayeem got the better of Sri Lanka captain Karunaratne in his first over itself. It was the eighth over of the innings and Karunaratne misjudged a quicker arm ball and attempted a cut shot. But the ball hit the flap of his pad and the umpire gave it out on-field. Karunaratne reviewed the decision but it was in vain.
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Fernando was joined by Kusal Mendis after Karunaratne's departure and the duo stuck together for 13.3 overs and added 43. It was Nayeem again who broke the stand by getting Fernando out caught behind. The ball pitched around the off stump and straightened, taking the outside edge on the way. The in-form Fernando (36 off 76) got off to a good start but couldn't convert it.
Sri Lanka were 73 for two at lunch on day one. The visitors scored freely in the first hour of the second session. But since Shakib Al Hasan came into the attack in the 36th over, things became a bit difficult for Angelo Mathews and Kusal Mendis. Shakib and Taijul hardly gave anything away, asked questions and gave away only 20 runs off 20 overs bowling in tandem. Mathews was given out caught behind on the field when he was 38 off Taijul but he took help from DRS to keep his wicket intact.
Mendis notched up his 13th Test fifty in the session and towards the end of it, Mathews reached his 38th half century.
Sri Lanka were 158 for two at the end of the second session. Both Mathews and Mendis were unbeaten on 54. The partnership between them was an unbroken 92 at that point.
