Errors cost Tigers control on Day 1
After an eventful opening day of the Sylhet Test yesterday, Bangladesh find themselves in a vulnerable position against Sri Lanka, paying dearly for the on-field and tactical errors they made on the day.
The Tigers finished the day three wickets down for 32 runs, in response to Sri Lanka's first innings tally of 280.
Bangladesh lost Zakir Hassan (9 off 8), skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto (5 off 10), and Mominul Haque (5 off 7) in the final 10 overs of play as the visitors went into the dressing room at stumps the happier of the two sides.
The Bangladesh management had the chance of sending in Taijul after opener Zakir departed in the third over, which could've shielded the frontline batters against the new ball. But their decision to hold off sending the night-watchman allowed Sri Lanka to make further inroads, leaving the hosts in a difficult spot at the end of the first day.
The day that ended in a disappointing manner had started brilliantly for the Tigers as after winning the toss, Bangladesh had Sri Lanka tottering at 57-5 in just 16.2 overs.
Pacer Khaled Ahmed claimed the first three wickets to fall, removing Nishan Madushka (2 off 9), Kusal Mendis (16 off 26) and Dimuth Karunaratne (17 off 37).
Angelo Mathews was then run out by Shanto for five with a direct hit at the striker's end and Shoriful Islam got Dinesh Chandimal got caught at leg slip for nine.
Everything was going swimmingly for Bangladesh but then two dropped catches gave the visitors an opportunity to put their foot back in the contest.
Just the very next ball after Sri Lanka lost their fifth wicket, Shoriful induced an outside edge off the bat of new batter Kamindu Mendis. Unfortunately, Mahmudul Hasan Joy spilled at second slip.
Shoriful was once again let down by a fielder in the 21st over when Taijul Islam, despite a diving attempt, couldn't hold onto the catch off skipper Dhananjaya de Silva at deep backward square leg.
Kamindu and Dhananjaya took their side into lunch break without any further damage and then played out the entire second session where they added 125 runs at a run-rate of 4.63 per over. Their brilliant 202-run stand that brought Sri Lanka back into the match.
Both batters reached the three-figure mark before falling prey to debutant Nahid Rana, with each making an identical 102.
Once their partnership ended, Bangladesh cleaned up the tail very quickly, picking up the remaining four wickets for 21 runs.
But then, the Lankan pace duo of Vishwa Fernando and Kasun Rajitha also tested the Bangladesh batters with the new ball on the greenish Sylhet wicket and took two and one wicket respectively.
After Mominul departed in the final ball of the eighth over off Rajitha, edging the ball to slip, Taijul Islam went in as the night-watchman and remained unbeaten alongside Joy (9 off 34) at stumps.