Thirimanne, Chandimal maiden tons highlights of day two

Mohammad Ashraful and Mominul Haque put in a stout resistance after Sri Lanka had dominated the proceedings on the second day of first Test match played at the Galle International Stadium.

The pair came to the rescue of Bangladesh with an unbroken 70 runs stand for the third wicket after they had lost the first wicket in the nine overs that were left before the tea break and then lost their second wicket helping them end day two on 135 for 3.

Ashraful who made a 102 in the warm up game at Matara continued his form as he remained unbeaten on 65 which came off 108 balls that included seven boundaries. The knock was no doubt a blessing to Bangladesh after Sri Lanka posted that mammoth score.

Mominul making his debut came into the game on the back of having made a 99 in the match at Matara and he showed that he has the temperament of staying at the crease and make a long innings.

The third day’s play is no doubt going to be crucial for Bangladesh and the two batsmen will have to continue their resistance if they are to take the challenge avoid the agony of being made to follow on.

Earlier in the day Sri Lanka kept up the momentum of their previous day’s performance, though a shade slow when the game resumed in the morning of day two.

Moments before Sri Lanka’s declaration came Dinesh Chandimal raced to his hundred after Lahiru Thirimanne had achieved the same feat in the morning session of play before Sri Lanka declared their innings on 570 for 4.

Bangladesh began the day in a positive manner as Sri Lanka skipper Angelo Mathews who was made to dig for his runs and was able to add only another two runs to his overnight score of 25 seemed to be a bit hasty when he mistimed a delivery of Abul Hasan and succeeded in offering a re- turn catch to the bowler.

Despite Bangladesh put up a better performance their field was much left to be desired as Dinesh Chandimal was let off the hook on three occasions early in his innings. When he was on five he was dropped at the gully region off a delivery of Hasan who in turn dropped a sitter in the fine leg when Chandimal was on 12 while Jahurul Islam’s miss at short midwicket was his third escape.

The misses proved to be too much as Thirimanne and Chandimal from there on made steady progress. The pair took advantage of the Bangladesh lapse and took things under control.

However Chandimal went onto reach his half ton and from there on he was much more aggressive. However Thirimanne was seemed not be in a hurry as he his approach was a bit slower. He was struck in the nervous 90’s for sometime before racing to his ton with a couple off a delivery of Elias Sunny which took him 193 balls and had nine boundaries.

Meanwhile Chandimal was nearing his half ton which he did it style by slashing a boundary off Abul Hasan. From there on he was much more aggressive and began accumulating runs with much more confidence before Sri Lanka went into the lunch break on 461 for 4.

The resumption saw Chandimal slamming the first of his two sixes in the second over of the post lunch session and later Sri Lanka posted the 500 run mark through a boundary and a couple of runs by Chandimal.

With Thirimanne taking the back seat Chandimal began accelerating he slammed his second six three runs away from his ton and then reached the feat for the first time in the next over. Chandimal’s ton was much quicker than Thirimanne which he did in 136 balls inclusive of 11 boundaries and two sixes.

It was a lucky day for Chandimal as he was given the miss for the fourth time when Mahmudullah dropped a sitter with his personal score of 111. Later Thirimanne went on to reach 150 before Sri Lanka’s declaration came in the next over. This left Bangladesh to negotiate nine overs before the tea break.