Sri Lanka continues domination, lead Bangladesh by 325 runs at lunch

Sri Lanka continued its domination and appeared

to bat Bangladesh out of the series opening Test, thanks to a resolute
batting of skipper Dhananjaya de Silva and Kamindu Mendis today at Sylhet
International Cricket Stadium.

Both of them scored 102 in Sri Lanka’s first innings and it looked they
started from where they left in the previous innings, as they put on 107-run
partnership for the seventh wicket to steer Sri Lanka to 233-6 at lunch on
Day 3, extending the side’s lead to 325 runs.

Thanks to their century, Sri Lanka put up 280 in the first innings,
recovering from a precarious 57-5 and then led by Vishwa Fernando’s 4-48
bowled Bangladesh out for 188.

De Silva, following his 102, was on 85 off 129, smacking nine fours and two
sixes with Kamindu on 50 at the fist interval of the day.

Resuming at 119-5, Sri Lanka lost nightwatchman Fernando for 4, in just third
over of the day but that was the only time in the session when Bangladesh
could celebrate.

De Silva and Kamindu then kept the home side frustrated throughout the whole
session, keeping the scoreboard going with ease.

De Silva, who started the day, with boundary off left-arm spinner Taijul
Islam, raised his 14th half-century off 82 balls, pushing fast bowler Nahid
Rana to third man for a single.

He then paced the innings, smashing offspinner Mehidy Hasan consecutive
sixes-first one with a slog-swept six over deep mid-wicket and then slogged
him again at the same region-and in doing so, he closed in on century in both
innings for the first time in his career.

Kamindu, however, completed his second half-century off 69 balls, just on the
last ball of the first session, with a quick single off Khaled.

Nahid Rana who took two wickets on Day 2, could add any and finished with 2-
79. (BSS)