CHITTAGONG: Former captain Angelo Mathews hit an unbeaten 114 to assist Sri Lanka end strongly at the opening day of the primary Check towards Bangladesh on Sunday. The vacationers reached 258 for 4 at stumps after electing to bat first on what seemed like a placid pitch in Chittagong in the beginning of the two-match sequence. Mathews placed on a key third-wicket 92-run stand with Kusal Mendis, who made 54, to rebuild the Sri Lankan innings after off-spinner Nayeem Hasan got rid of the openers.
“Any person needed to move large and move lengthy, and on a placid wicket like this, first-innings rating is essential,” Mathews mentioned of his knock laced with 14 barriers and one six. “You’ll be able to’t take anything else from the Bangladesh bowlers. They bowled some excellent traces and lengths, with a form of an umbrella box. It was once no longer simple for us to head large.”
He stored up the power on Bangladesh after Mendis’ departure as he publish an unbeaten partnership of 75 for the 5th wicket with Dinesh Chandimal, who was once batting on 34. Nayeem pushed aside skipper Dimuth Karunaratne, for 9, and Oshada Fernando, for 36, within the opening consultation to provide Bangladesh some early momentum. However Mathews and Mendis seized again the initiative and stored Bangladesh bowlers at bay in all the post-lunch consultation. Taijul Islam struck at the first ball after tea wreck as Mendis fell giving a catch to Nayeem at midwicket.
Fellow left-arm spinner Shakib Al Hasan got rid of Dhananjaya de Silva affordably for 6 with a bat-pad catch, however Mathews stood company to disclaim Bangladesh additional luck. Bangladesh concept that they had Mathews out stuck at the back of for 38 off Taijul after lunch however the choice towards the veteran batsman was once reversed on evaluation. The skilled right-hander flicked left-arm pacer Shoriful Islam against mid-wicket for a 4 to convey his twelfth Check hundred off 183 balls.
Nayeem lure
Sri Lanka previous made a assured get started as Fernando hit tempo bowler Khaled Ahmed for 2 consecutive fours in the second one over. The creation of spin, on the other hand, halted their development as Nayeem trapped Karunaratne leg-before on best his 5th ball.
Karunaratne misjudged an arm ball and tried to chop, however the ball was once sooner than he had anticipated and hit him at the again foot. He was once given out and the skipper unsuccessfully reviewed. Native boy Nayeem, who got here into the aspect after an damage to the stalwart Mehidy Hasan, introduced Bangladesh their 2d luck within the consultation when he took an edge from Fernando within the twenty second over. Wicketkeeper Liton Das finished the catch as Fernando departed after hitting 3 fours and one six in his brisk innings.
A minute of silence was once seen earlier than the event in reminiscence of Australian cricketer Andrew Symonds, who died in a automobile crash on Saturday. The Bangladesh Cricket Board mentioned it was once “deeply saddened” on the passing of “one in all Australia’s biggest allrounders in restricted overs cricket”. Impartial umpiring additionally returned for the primary time for the reason that onset of the coronavirus pandemic, with England’s Richard Kettleborough officiating along Bangladesh’s Sharfuddoula. – AFP