By Brian Thomas Reporting exclusively for SriLanka sports. Com
Bangladesh added 27 runs this morning to be bowled out for 247 , an appaling display by their batting cordon, winning the toss and batting first.
Sri Lanka ended day 2 on 290 for 2 wickets with Pathum Nissanka unbeaten on 146 and night watchman Prabath Jayasuriya unbeaten on 5.
Sri Lankan dressing room is happier of the two with just one man kicking himself, and that is Dinesh Chandimal doing all the hard work and throwing in the towel with an unwanted stroke and missing out on a well deserved century by 7 runs.
Pathum Nissanka was joined by Dinesh Chandimal at the fall of Lahiru Udara with the total on 88 , soon after the lunch break.
Lahiru, despite stroking the Bangladesh seam bowlers fluently, looked tentative against spin twins Taijul Islam and Mehedy Hassan.
Something had to give in , the right hand, batter, was LBW for 40 off Taijul Islam with Sri Lanka on 88.
Dinesh Chandimal, who took the responsibility of batting at number 3 , proved not only his talent but his temprement as a test batsman.
Pathum Nissanka and Chandimal played a hapless Bangladesh bowling attack by playing exquisite cricket strokes, but at intermediate times during their long vigil did try a few improvised strokes , but a quick message from the dressing room , brought about sanity to their mind set.
The pair stiched a partnership of 194 runs before Chandimal had a brain break by reverse sweeping the first Test hero Nayeem Hassan only to give wicket keeper Litton Das the easiest of catches , hence his tale ends on 93.
Lesson learnt is that a lack of concentration at the wrong time is the root cause of an unhappy feeling in missing out on a well-deserved century . It’s like losing your pay packet on the bus whilst travelling home. His body language spelt the distress that he felt whilst heading back to the dressing room. With 10 boundaries and 1 six , facing 153 deliveries, he looked good for a double hundred.
Meanwhile, Pathum Nissanka showed his temrement , his class , his
hunger , and most importantly, the game awareness to be unbeaten on 146 , scoring his 5th Test century in a marathon stay , executing 18 boundaries in 228 deliveries, and even having a concussion test after being hit on the helmet by speed merchant Nahid Rana. What an unbeaten innings.
Sri Lanka was forced to send in a night watchman after Dinesh Chandimal departed . The new ball is due in 2 overs , this is why I feel Chandimal throwing the towel could open the flood gates.
With 43 runs, lead, and 8 wickets in hand, it’s fair to state that Sri Lanka is sitting pretty , however, it is pertinent that Kamindu Mendis , Dhananjaya de Silva , Kusal Mendis, and baby of the team Sonal Dinush put their hands up and support Pathum Nissanka to ensure they bat Bangladesh out of this Test match, because day 3 is good for batting at the SSC.
Bangladesh tried to claw back by bowling plenty of short pitch deliveries, including a slash of negative bowling by their trio of spinners to frustrate Sri Lanka from scoring at Knots but , Pathum Nissanka with the guidens of Dinesh Chandimal stood the test of times.
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