Dhaka – Bangladesh bowlers staged a middle-order collapse for Sri Lanka Friday, yet the unbroken 87-run seventh-wicket stand steadied the hosts before bad weather cut short the second day of the second Test in Pallekele.
Niroshan Dickwella and Ramesh Mendis led the recovery for the hosts who finished at 469/6.
The Lankans had scored 291/1 on day one. But the visitors posed a strong challenge on day two when the wicket offered more balance between bat and ball.
Sri Lanka added 178 to their overnight total and lost five more wickets. At the end of day two, they were batting at 469 for six in 155.5 overs.
Right-arm pacer Taskin Ahmed has bagged three wickets in this game so far. He would have taken more wickets if the fielders were not so sloppy. Najmul Hossain Shanto missed at least two catches off Taskin.
In the first session of the day, Bangladesh scalped three wickets and two of them fell prey to Taksin while the other one was hunted by Taijul Islam. After the tea break, Taskin scalped another wicket and Mehidy Hasan Miraz took one.
Lahiru Thirimanne, who remained unbeaten for 131 on day one, added only nine more runs before being edged to the wicketkeeper by Taskin. However, Oshada Fernando troubled the Tigers much after Thirimanne’s removal. He ended up at 80 as the sixth wicket.
The first Test of the two-match series ended in a draw as the wicket was flat and fruitless for the bowlers.UNB
