Sri Lanka reign supreme despite second innings batting blues

CHITTAGONG: Asitha Fernando claimed 4-34 as Sri Lanka bowled out Bangladesh for 178 to take a massive 353-run lead in the first innings of the second Test in Chittagong on Monday.

The tourists decided against enforcing a follow-on but were left struggling with their batting in the second innings, reaching 102-6 at stumps on the third day to extend their lead to 455 runs.

Debutant pacer Hasan Mahmud gave Bangladesh something to smile about with 4-51, while fellow pacer Khaled Ahmed also troubled the Sri Lankan batsmen with 2-29.

But Angelo Mathews remained unbeaten on 39 alongside Prabath Jayasuriya, three not out, with the pair looking to extend Sri Lanka’s lead with the help of the tail-enders.

Lahiru Kumara, Vishwa Fernando and Jayasuriya earlier chipped in with two each as Sri Lanka claimed nine wickets in two sessions to leave the hosts flattened.

Sri Lanka fast bowling coach Dharshana Gamage praised both sides.

“Both teams’ bowlers, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, bowled really well,” Gamage said.

“We need to score another 50-60 runs, then we will be in a good position. I am pretty sure our bowlers will fight back.”

Zakir Hasan made the highest score for Bangladesh with 54, while Mominul Haque offered some resistance with 33.

“We totally failed with the bat,” Zakir said. “We couldn’t perform our roles, we didn’t play as we were supposed to play.”

Resuming on 55-1 with nightwatchman Taijul Islam, Zakir survived for more than an hour before Bangladesh lost their first wicket of the day.

Sri Lanka ended Bangladesh’s dogged early resistance when Vishwa Fernando, a left-arm quick, swung one in to uproot the leg stump of Zakir.

Skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto looked edgy from the start and faced 11 balls before being dismissed by Jayasuriya for one.

Najmul departed after attempting an on-drive, which was caught at short midwicket by Dimuth Karunaratne.

Vishwa Fernando bowled Taijul for 22 with another in-swinging delivery to reduce Bangladesh to 105-4.

Asitha Fernando trapped Shakib Al Hasan leg-before for 15 and then induced an edge from Liton Das (four) in the same over.

Bangladesh kept losing wickets in clusters.

Shahadat Hossain (eight) was caught by Kamindu Mendis at slip off Kumara and Jayasuriya hit Mehidy Hasan (seven) in front.

Asitha Fernando ended Mominul’s defiant innings before he bowled Khaled for one to wrap up the innings.

Sri Lanka dominated Bangladesh in the first two days to amass 531, the highest Test total without any batsman scoring a century.

Sri Lanka, who have never lost a Test series to Bangla­desh, won the first Test in Sylhet by 328 runs.

SCOREBOARD

SRI LANKA (1st Innings) 531 (Kusal Mendis 93, Kamindu Mendis 92 not out, D. Karunaratne 86, D. de Silva 70, D. Chandimal 59, N. Madushka 57; S. Al Hasan 3-110)

BANGLADESH (1st Innings, overnight 55-1):

Mahmudul Hasan Joy b Kumara 21

Zakir Hasan b V. Fernando 54

Taijul Islam b V. Fernando 22

Najmul Hossain c Karunaratne b Jayasuriya 1

Mominul Haque lbw b A. Fernando 33

Shakib Al Hasan lbw A. Fernando 15

Litton Das c Kusal b A. Fernando 4

Shahadat Hossain c Kamindu b Kumara 8

Mehidy Hasan lbw b Jayasuriya 7

Khaled Ahmed b A. Fernando 1

Hasan Mahmud not out 2

EXTRAS (B-4, LB-4, NB-1, W-1) 10

TOTAL (all out, 68.4 overs) 178

FALL OF WICKETS: 1-47 (Mahmudul), 2-96 (Zakir), 3-101 (Najmul), 4-105 (Taijul), 5-126 (Shakib), 6-130 (Litton), 7-148 (Shahadat), 8-165 (Mehidy), 9-175 (Mominul)

BOWLING: V. Fernando 16-5-38-2; A. Fernando 10.4-1-34-4 (1w); Lahiru 11-5-19-2; Jayasuriya 24-4-65-2 (1nb); Dhananjaya 7-2-14-0

SRI LANKA (2nd Innings):

D. Karunaratne b Hasan 4

N. Madushka c Mehidy b Hasan 34

Kusal Mendis b Khaled 2

A. Mathews not out 39

D. Chandimal c Shahadat b Hasan 9

D. de Silva c Liton b Hasan 1

Kamindu Mendis c Liton b Khaled 9

P. Jayasuriya not out 3

EXTRAS (LB-1) 1

TOTAL (for six wickets, 25 overs) 102

STILL TO BAT: A. Fernando, L. Kumara, V. Fernando

FALL OF WICKETS: 1-12 (Karunaratne), 2-15 (Kusal), 3-60 (Madushka), 4-72 (Chandimal), 5-78 (Dhananjaya), 6-89 (Kamindu)

BOWLING: Khaled 9-2-29-2; Hasan 11-1-51-4; Shakib 4-0-20; Taijul 1-0-1-0

Published in Dawn, April 2nd, 2024