Hosts trail BD by 75 runs after Day-3

At the end of play of day-3, Sri Lanka reached 54 for no loss in 13 overs and trailed Bangladesh by 75 runs in their second innings in the Test match at P Sara Oval, Colombo today.

Sri Lankan openers Upul Tharanga and Dimuth Karunaratne were both 25 not out when the players left the field for the day.

Earlier, Bangladesh were all out for 467 in their first innings during the last session of day-3 and led Sri Lanka by 129 runs.

After the first wicket stand of 95, Bangladesh reached 400 thanks to the 92-run stand for the sixth wicket between Shakib Al Hasan and Mushfiqur Rahim followed by the 131-run partnership between Shakib and Mosaddek Hossain.

Shakib was the highest run-getter during Bangladesh’s first innings. His 116 contained 10 boundaries and was made in 159 balls. Mosaddek on debut chipped in with a well-made 75. Soumya Sarkar and Mushfiqur scored 61 and 52 respectively.

For the hosts, Rangana Herath and Lakshan Sandakan took four wickets each. Herath took 4-82 in 34.1 overs. Sandakan captured 4-140 in 33.

Mosaddek Hossain was the last man out for Bangladesh when he was stumped for 75. Lured by the flight, the batter stepped out to swing across the line over long-on but didn't get to the pitch, missed it completely and saw the bails whipped off even as he turned back.

Last bat Mosaddek Hossain st †Dickwella b Herath 75 (155b 7x4 2x6) SR: 48.38

Fall of wicket 467/10 (134.1 ov); Partnership: 13 runs, 5.5 overs, RR: 2.22 (Subashis Roy 0, Mosaddek Hossain 13)

Earlier, Sri Lanka stand-in skipper Rangana Herath took two wickets in two balls during the last session of day-3 with the tourists at 454 for 9 in 128.2 overs and 116 runs ahead.

Herath gets two in two, and Mustafizur is gone first ball. The ball spun back sharply from outside off, and stuck the batter on middle…Fizz didn’t bother reviewing it.

Last bat Mustafizur Rahman lbw b Herath 0 (1b 0x4 0x6) SR: 0.00

Fall of wicket 454/9 (128.2 ov); Partnership: 0 runs, 0.1 overs, RR: 0.00 (Mustafizur Rahman 0, Mosaddek Hossain 0)

Mehedi Hasan Miraz was the eighth wicket to fall during Bangladesh’s first innings. He was given out by the on-field umpire, and therefore he took the review. Replays showed that the batsman was indeed struck in front of the stumps.

Last bat Mehedi Hasan Miraz lbw b Herath 24 (50b 2x4 0x6) SR: 48.00

Fall of wicket 454/8 (128.1 ov); Partnership: 33 runs, 14.5 overs, RR: 2.22 (Mosaddek Hossain 9, Mehedi Hasan Miraz 24)

Bangladesh reached 428 for 7 in 116 overs and led Sri Lanka by 90 runs when the players left the field for tea on day-3.

Mosaddek Hossain was batting on 55 from 103 balls and Mehedi Hasan Miraz 5 not out at the end of the post-lunch session which produced 112 runs in 28 overs for the loss of Shakib's wicket.

Sri Lanka received a boost during the post-lunch session when Shakib Al Hasan was sent back at the stroke of tea to leave the tourists at 421 for 7 in 113.2 overs.

Lakshan Sandakan picked up his fourth wicket as Shakib who wanted to clear mid-on ended up hitting the ball straight down the throat of the fielder. The ball was nicely tossed up but Shakib could not resist his temptation to go over the top…he lives by the sword and dies by it!

The timing of the dismissal was extremely important considering the state of this match…Shakib was almost dragging himself off the field.

Last bat Shakib Al Hasan c Chandimal b Sandakan 116 (159b 10x4 0x6) SR: 72.95

Fall of wicket 421/7 (113.2 ov); Partnership: 131 runs, 32.1 overs, RR: 4.07 (Shakib Al Hasan 72, Mosaddek Hossain 53)

Earlier, Shakib Al Hasan reached the fifth hundred of his career as Bangladesh moved past 400 in their first innings during the post-lunch session.

Shakib reached his milestone in the 111th over bowled by Dilruwan Perera with a four. The all-rounder had a subdued reaction, and soaked in the well-deserved applause from the dressing room…big knock for Bangladesh!

Lakshan Sandakan nearly saw the back of Shakin in the 110th over, when the batter could have holed out in the deep. The leading edge fell short of the fielder running in from long-off.

Young Mosaddek Hossain reached his fifty on debut as Bangladesh pushed their lead past fifty on the back of a decisive seventh wicket stand during the post-lunch session of day-3.

Mosaddek impressed with his temperament and it seemed like he had a lot of time to play his shots. The inside-out shot over cover for four he struck of Rangana Herath was the highlight of his knock.

The seventh wicket partnership between Shakib Al Hasan and Mosaddek Hossain took Bangladesh past Sri Lanka’s 338 during the post lunch session.

Both of them were intent to play positive cricket and kept the scoreboard moving at a decent pace. The vital stand for the tourists reached 58 in 13.3 overs when Bangladesh were 348 for 7 in 94.4 overs.

A beautiful shot through the covers for four by Mosaddek took his team into the lead in the 94th over. The batsman was fortunate to survive a chance in the 92nd over when he pulled Suranga Lakmal and saw the ball fall inches short of the fielder at deep square leg.

Bangladesh reached 316 for 6 in 88 overs when the players left the field for lunch on day-3.

Shakib Al Hasan was 54 not out from 78 balls and Mosaddek Hossain unbeaten on 15 at the end of the morning session that produced 102 runs in 28 overs for the loss of Mushfiqur Rahim’s wicket.

The pitch has flattened out, and looks best for batting on the third day. Shakib enjoyed the rub of the green during his knock, and his compulsive pull shots could have brought his downfall as the ball dropped precariously in front of the fielder on each and every occasion. The allrounder also survived a close run-out chance.

With Mosaddek at his side, Shakib would look to take his team in front during the post-lunch session and build a sizeable lead over Sri Lanka’s 338 in the first innings.  

Sri Lanka pacer Suranga Lakmal gave his team the crucial breakthrough when he dismissed Bangladesh skipper Mushfiqur Rahim for 52 with the new ball to leave the tourists at 290 for 6 in 81.1 overs.

The new ball has done the trick…and the Mushfiqur-Shakib resistance is broken…big wicket in the context of the contest for the hosts.

Lakmal delivered the ball full outside off, Mushy went for the expansive drive. Unfortunately for the batsman, the ball came back of the seam, went through the gap between bat and pad and knocked back the off stump.

Last bat Mushfiqur Rahim b Lakmal 52 (81b 6x4 0x6) SR: 64.19

Fall of wicket 290/6 (81.1 ov); Partnership: 92 runs, 23.3 overs, RR: 3.91 (Mushfiqur Rahim 52, Shakib Al Hasan 40)

Mushy survived a review taken by Sri Lanka in the 80th over bowled by Rangana Herath. It was a full ball and the batter missed the sweep. The replays showed the impact was slightly outside, and therefore Aleem Dar’s not out decision was not overturned by the third umpire.

Bangladesh captain Mushfiqur Rahim and allrounder Shakib Al Hasan batted through probing spells from Sri Lankan bowlers during the morning session of day-3 as they took Tigers past 250 in their first innings.

Both the batsmen survived the first hour with a combination of sensible shot selection and sheer will to stay at the wicket for their team, for Bangladesh.

The sixth wicket stand between Mushfiqur and Shakib managed 56 runs in 12.2 overs when Bangladesh reached 254 for 5 in 70 overs.

Tigers trailed Sri Lanka by 124 runs with five wickets remaining in their first innings when the umpire called stumps on day-2. Bangladesh lost three wickets inside the last four overs to hand the initiative back to the Sri Lankans.

Bangladesh, with Sabbir Rahman and Imrul Kayes at the crease, had gotten to 192 for two in response to Sri Lanka's first innings score of 338 and with four overs left on the second day of the second Test, all that was needed was to play out the overs and go to their hotel rooms secure in the knowledge that they were ahead in their 100th Test.

Instead, Imrul Kayes played a rash pull shot to chinaman bowler Lakshan Sandakan and was out leg-before, before Taijul departed first ball and Sabbir was out caught in an obvious leg-side trap in the next over.

Since Taijul's dismissal, 22 runs were scored off 20 balls before the umpires called an end to the chaos, 18 of them scored by Shakib Al Hasan off eight balls.

Bangladesh

Tamim Iqbal, Soumya Sarkar, Imrul Kayes, Mushfiqur Rahim (Captain, Wicketkeeper), Shakib Al Hasan, Sabbir Rahman, Mehedi Hasan, Mosaddek Hossain Saikat, Mustafizur Rahman, Taijul Islam and Subashis Roy

Sri Lanka

Dimuth Karunaratne, Upul Tharanga, Kusal Mendis, Dinesh Chandimal, Dhananjaya de Silva, Asela Gunaratne, Niroshan Dickwella (Wicketkeeper), Dilruwan Perera, Rangana Herath (Captain), Suranga Lakmal and Lakshan Sandakan

Umpires - Aleem Dar and S Ravi

TV umpire - M Erasmus

Match referee - AJ Pycroft

Reserve umpire - RSA Palliyaguruge