Morning doesn’t always show the day as Tigers experience
After having Sri Lanka five down and cornered in the opening session of the first Test in Sylhet today, Bangladesh will be disappointed to head into the second day without being in the driving seat.
While the Bangladesh bowlers, led by Khaled Ahmed's three-for, dismantled the Lankan top-order, the game's momentum had swung like a pendulum as the afternoon session totally belonged to the visitors, with their captain Dhananjaya de Silva and Kamindu Mendis, playing his second Test, scored 102 a piece.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel. The evening session after Tea saw Bangladesh assert themselves, with debutant Nahid Rana claiming three wickets, and the Lankans folded for 280 once the twin centurions departed.
However, despite taking five wickets in the post-Tea session, the nerves of the Tigers' top-order batters got the better off them as opener Zakir Hasan (nine), captain Najmul Hossai Shanto (five) and former skipper Mominul Haque (five) fell cheaply.
Vishwa Fernando took two wickets, as both Zakir and Shanto wasted reviews in an attempt to overturn leg-before decisions, while Kasun Rajitha removed Mominul with a short-pitched ball that caught him off-guard.
Bangladesh ended the day at 32 for three after 9.5, with opener Mahmudul Hasan Joy (nine not out) – who showed genuine application, playing the ball late and with soft hands -- and night-watchman Taijul Islam in the middle. A pivotal opening session awaits the Tigers tomorrow.
Tail-exposed tourists fold fast after Rana's double blow
With Sri Lanka's tail exposed after debutant Bangladesh pacer Nahid Rana removed the twin centurions, Kamindu Mendis and Dhananjaya de Silva, it was a matter of time before the visitors were bundled out.
Hungry for more, a pumped-up Rana then earned another caught-behind dismissal to sent Prabath Jayasuriya (1) back in the hut.
Next to go was Vishwa Fernando (nine) who fell to a flighted Taijul Islam delivery, with keeper Liton Das grabbing his third on a day in which he hurt his fingers twice. Soon after, No.11 Lahiru Kumara (naught) was run out as a result of sheer miscommunication between him and Kasun Rajitha.
Sri Lanka ended their first innings 280 all out in 68 overs, after sent in to bat.
Debutant Rana comes to the rescue
Debutant Nahid Rana turned the tide in Bangladesh's favour after Sri Lanka found wind in their sails following a double century partnership between Dhananjaya de Silva and Kamindu Mendis, who had safely seen off the second session without any damage.
The 21-year-old pacer scalped three wickets in quick succession to make his special day even more memorable, first removing Kamindu Mendis to pick up his maiden wicket but not before the Sri Lanka batter registered his maiden Test century.
Kamindu was caught-behind to ball just shaped away from the left-hander after he reached the landmark with a cracking square drive for a boundary, one of the 11 eleven fours and three six he struck en route to scoring 102 off just 127 deliveries and composing a crucial 203-run stand with captain Dhananjaya de Silva.
In the same over, Dhananjay flicked one to reach his 11th century in the format -- his third against the Tigers. Rana, however, returned to dismiss Dhananjaya (102 off 131) in his next over, courtesy of a brilliantly judged catch in the outfield by Mehedi Hasan Miraz, and this time, Rana's celebration was unrestrained.
The visitors are 270 for eight after 61 overs.
Dhananjaya, Kamindu fight back to lift visitors from precarious position
Sri Lanka captain Dhananjaya de Silva and Kamindu Mendis each scored a fifty as Bangladesh's momentum gained from the opening session of the first Test in Sylhet has been somewhat subdued.
With the sun shining in full glory after Lunch, the duo went on to stitch a century partnership in quick time for the sixth-wicket stand, and the Lankan's last recognised batting pair is still going strong, with the scoreboard reading 180 for five after 39 overs – from a precarious 57 for five before Lunch.
Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto waited till the 27th over to introduce spin, with experienced Taijul Islam, before giving the ball to the other spinner, Mehedi Hasan Miraz, in the 34th over. However, the run-rate has remained on the upper side, with Dhananjaya (56*) and Kamindu (65*) hitting as many as 16 fours and three sixes between them.
Tail-up Tigers make the most of opening session
Bangladesh pacers capitalised on the early morning conditions offered in Sylhet to send half of Sri Lanka batters back in the hut on the opening session of the first Test at the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium today, justifying Najmul Hossain Shanto's decision to bowl first.
The visitors head in to Lunch at 92 for five after 22 overs, after Khaled Ahmed wreaked havoc with three wickets and was aided by several instances of sharp fielding, most notably by Mehedi Hasan Miraz who took two sharp catches and captain Shanto who inflicted the run out of veteran Angelo Mathews.
Fellow pacer Shoriful Islam then opened his account to pick the last wicket of the session, of Dinesh Chandimal (nine), before Lankan skipper Dhananjaya de Silva and Kamindu Mendis consolidated with an unbeaten 35-run stand.
Meanwhile, debutant pacer Nahid Rana remained wicketless after six overs but showed his potential; although he was on the expensive side, having gone for 31 runs.
Hometown boy Khaled on fire as Sri Lanka rocked early
Bangladesh pacer Khaled picked has Sri Lanka rattled early on the opening day of the first Test in Sylhet today, after Tigers asked the visitors to bat first.
Khaled drew the first blood early in the innings, removing Nishan Madushka (2) out caught at the slip cordon, courtesy of a brilliant catch by Mehedi Hasan Miraz.
The visitors stayed cautious since then and rode their luck as well, with Kusal Mendis twice getting close to being dismissed – first, where he skied Shoriful Islam's short-pitched delivery but only for the ball to fall in no man's land before Taijul Islam missed a run-out chance by a narrow margin.
Mendis (16), however, became Khaled's second victim, departing in the same fashion as Madushka did.
Right after, Khaled, playing his first Test in hometown Sylhet and had gone wicketless in the his last two red-ball outings, removed opener Dimuth Karunaratne (17) with a peach of a delivery as the swinging delivery went through the gap between bat and pad to dislodge the stumps.
From the other end, Shoriful Islam and debutant Nahid Rana have so far kept the pressure on the Lankans, who were reduced to 49 for four after 14 overs after experienced Angelo Mathews got involved in a run-out, with Najmul Hossain Shanto hitting the stumps.
Nahid Rana debuts as Tigers opt to field in first SL Test
Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto has won the toss and asked Sri Lanka to bat first in the first of two Tests at the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium in Sylhet today, hoping to utilise the early morning conditions with the presence of "moisture on the pitch".
Pacer Nahid Rana, known for his ability to consistently clock north of 140 km/h but has no more than 15 first-class matches under his belt, makes his debut for the hosts. 21-year-old Rana will form the pace battery alongside Shoriful Islam and Khaled Ahmed while spinners Taijul Islam and Mehedi Hasan Miraz are expected to do the bulk of bowling, more so in the second innings.
Meanwhile, keeper-batter Liton Das returned to starting eleven after sitting out the New Zealand Tests last year by having taken a paternity leave. Liton will be desperate to score big following his subpar outings with the ball in the shorter formats of late.
Bangladesh are missing their veteran batter Mushfiqur Rahim due to finger injury he suffered in the preceding ODI series, won by the Tigers by a 2-1 margin while the tour-opening T20I series was clinched by the visitors by the same margin. Mushfiqur's injury also gives 22-year-old middle-order batter Shahadat Hossain Dipu, a prospect for the long run, a chance to make his presence felt.
The Tigers are yet to win a home Test or a Test series against the island nation.
Playing XIs:
Bangladesh: Mahmudul Hasan Joy, Zakir Hasan, Najmul Hossain Shanto (c), Mominul Haque, Shahadat Hossain Dipu, Liton Das (w), Mehedi Hasan Miraz, Taijul Islam, Khaled Ahmed, Nahid Rana, Shoriful Islam
Sri Lanka: Nishan Madushka, Dimuth Karunaratne, Kusal Mendis (w), Angelo Mathews, Dinesh Chandimal, Dhananjaya de Silva (c), Kamindu Mendis, Prabath Jayasuriya, Vishwa Fernando, Kasun Rajitha, Lahiru Kumara
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