By Brian Thomas
Reporting exclusively for SriLanka sports. Com.
Bangladesh is under the pump to save the second and final test by conceeding a lead of 211 runs to Sri Lanka and rubbing salt to the wound by losing 6 wickets for 115 runs , still in deficit of 96 runs to avoid an innings defeat with 4 wickets in hand after their dismal batting performance in both innings so far.
Sri Lanka and their game plan was to obviously bat Bangladesh out of the game when they ended day 2 on 290 for 2 wickets with a lead of 43 runs and a night watchman in Prabath Jayasuriya giving company to Pathum Nissanka who was expected to go big unbeaten on 146 , following up his 187 in the first test at Galle.
The new ball was taken by Bangladesh in just 2 overs, and what was envisaged was the quick dismissal of Prabath Jayasuriya.
Cricket has its own unique agenda. Taijul Islam, the left arm spinner, was simply sensational when he priced the scalp of Pathum Nissanka caught at short extra cover , when the prolific run scorer in this series erred reaching at a eye line delivery and was out for 158 , as the Sri Lankan dressing room dropped their shoulders with the score on 305 , because Sri Lanka must have had plans to score around 600 runs with plenty of time left in this test match , which Bangladesh created by being bowled out for 247 in just over 3 sessions, that too after deciding to bat.
Dismissal of Dhananjaya de Silva, Lbw off Taijul Islam again for 13 runs pumped up the senses of the tigers because two dangerous batters were back in the pavilion
313 for 4 wickets did not look good with the night watchman at the wickets because the 5th wicket looked in the horizon, as the seamers gave night watchman Prabath Jayasuriya a taste of chin music.
Prabath Jayasuriya was out caught at 2nd slip fir 10 , giving the Bangladesh speed merchant Nahid Rana his first scalp in this series with Sri Lanka on 335 , tricky to state the least.
Kamindu Mendis and Kusal Mendis then played a different brand of cricket. The pair attacked the Bangladesh spinners, but Nayeem Hassan had Kamindu neck and crop for 33 , SriLanka from 384 for 6 wickets took lunch on 402 for 6 wickets.
The 600 runs first innings ambition now out of the window. Sonal was dismissed soon after lunch by Nayeem Hassan, typical off spinners drift into the left-hander, and his timber was cleaned up.
Kusal Mendis stood tall and played exquisite strokes to score 84 runs in 87 balls with 8 boundaries and 2 sixes to help SriLanka to 458 all-out and stich a lead of 211 runs.
Spin twins Taijul Islam 4 for 131 and Nayeem Hassan 4 for 87 bowled with intent.
Bangladesh was so disappointing with the bat. Having conceeded a lead of 211 runs in the first innings, they could not come to terms with the grip and turn of the SSC pitch and lost 5 wickets to the Sri Lankan spinners. 2 of the scalps to Jayasuriya, 2 to Dhananjaya de Silva , and 1 to Tharindu Ratnayaka. Asiitha Fernando, the seamer, got the initial break through just before tea with Bangladesh on 31.
They lost 5 top order batters. Mushfiqur Rahim, Najmul Shanto, Shadnam Islam Monimul Haq, and Mehedy Hassan in the final session and the 6th wicket of Mehedy Hassan in the final overnof the day.
It will be a herculean task for Bangladesh to save this test. The only recognised batter at the wickets is Litton Das .
Jayasuriya 2 for 47 , Dhananjaya de Silva 2 for 13 and Tharindu Ratnayaka 1 for 10. It was impressive display of spin.
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