Late wickets give Sri Lanka edge over Bangladesh
galle — Bangladesh’s Soumya Sarkar and Tamim Iqbal shared a century opening stand before Sri Lanka took two late wickets to tighten their grip on the first Test at Galle on Wednesday.
The visitors were 133-2 at stumps on the second day and trailing by 361, after Kusal Mendis (194), Niroshan Dickwella (75) and Dilruwan Perera (51) had swelled the hosts’ total to 494.
Soumya was leading the response for Bangladesh with an unbeaten 66 after his 118-run opening stand ended with a bizarre run-out for his partner, Tamim, who made 57 off 112 balls with six fours. Sri Lankan wicketkeeper Niroshan Dickwella had appealed for a caught behind off Lakshan Sandakan and dislodged the bail quickly once his appeal was turned down as Tamim walked out of the crease. Perera then had number three Mominul Haque plumb lbw for seven to give Sri Lanka the edge in the contest at the Galle International Stadium.
Both Soumya and Tamim benefited from sloppy Sri Lankan fielding. Perera dropped Soumya on four at gully and Dickwella missed a catch off Tamim on 28. Earlier, Mendis was agonisingly denied a maiden double century as he tried to reach his milestone in style. Tamim caught him on the long-on boundary off teenage off-spinner Mehedi Hasan as the right-hander attempted an audacious six.
Tamim ran backwards to take the catch, lobbing the ball back into the field as his feet crossed the boundary ropes and then pouching it again. Mendis struck 19 fours and four sixes in his seven-and-ahalf-hour stay at the crease.
The 22-year-old was unbeaten on 166 overnight. —