Wicket playing like a first day one :

Maiden double ‘ton’ by B’desh captain Rahim

Sri Lanka lead by 48 runs :

by Elmo Rodrigopulle

The First Test between Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, at the time of writing is destined to end in a draw unless something sensational happens on the final day at the Galle International Cricket Stadium.

When the fourth day’s play ended, Sri Lanka who were trailing Bangladesh by 68 runs on the first innings, had wiped off the arrears making 116 for one wicket and leading by 48 runs.

At the wickets were Tillekeratne Dilshan on 63 and Kumar Sangakkara on 49 respectively. The batsman out was Dimuth Karunaratne. He failed to keep down a hook shot and holed out to Hassan at fine leg off Hossain for 3 at 17.

Like a day one wicket

Generally a wicket is expected to crumble on the third day and open up the game and make the game interesting with a contest for a both batsmen and bowlers. But this wicket is playing like a first day one and there is no way a result could be obtained.

As for Bangladesh they can be happy and contended with their awesome batting display. Coming into this Test they were the underdogs and were not expected to offer much resistance.

But they cocked a snook at their detractors with an excellent batting display. When Sri Lanka made a huge 570 or 3 declared, the Bangladesh batsmen would certainly have been under tremendous pressure.

B’desh take honours

First they had to make 371 to avoid being asked to follow on. That they achieved comfortably and in going past the 570 and making 638 – lead of 68 – took the honours in this Test which was creditable.

With Bangladesh safely negotiating the follow figure and being on a healthy 438 for 4 in reply to the Sri Lanka score of 570 for 4 declared, the game began in bright sunshine on day four.

The pre lunch session was once again dominated by the Bangladesh batsmen. Although losing Mohammed Ashraful early, skipper Mushfiqur Rahim and Nassir Hossain went their way untroubled.

Ashraful one of the best

Ashraful one of the best batsmen to watch in world cricket when he gets going, and he got going in Galle, but sadly there were not enough youngsters to watch him and learn, nor were there enough spectators to watch his batting skills.

He is a batsman any team will crave to have. With good temperament, sound technique and strokes all round the wicket, he has the ability to take any attack apart. On 189 and looking set to notch up his first double hundred in his career, he lost concentration for a moment, stepped out to drive a flighted delivery from Rangana Herath, got an edge and Angelo Mathews at slip clung on to the catch.

Tormentor Ashraful out

Mathews seemed happy that Ahraful who tormented them for 499 minutes hitting 20 fours and a six in 417 deliveries finally departed. Thusended the fourth wicket stand of 267.

When the Lankans got that early wicket, hopes ran high that they would make further inroads into the visitors’ batting. But that was not to be as another very correct batsman in right hander Nassir Hossain joined his skipper to heap further agony on the bowlers.

Although skipper Mathews switched his bowlers around, the batmen were not unduly worried and wended their way to lunch at 546 for 4 – a stand of 102 – with Rahim two short of his double hundred on 198 and Hossain who made a fine half century on 61.

Dismissal of Rahim

Second over after lunch saw the dismissal of wicket keeper, batsman and captain Mushfiqur Rahim. On 199 he pushed a ball fom Nuwan Kulasekera and scampered a single to reach the magical 200. He punched the air in joy and his team mates gave him a standing ovation.

His joy was short lived because in the same over he was adjudged LBW when Kulesekera moved one in to have him in front. In all Rahim batted for 434 minutes, faced 320 balls, hit 22 fours and a six. With Nasir Hossain he added 106 for the 6th wicket.

It was a truly captain’s innings. He showed good courage, concentration and played a wide array of strokes. This knock should give him the necessary confidence to move on in his career which has a long way to go.

First three figure score

Another 21-year old Hossain, carried on the good work and went to his first three figure score in Tests. His previous best was 96 and he will remember this maiden hundred for the rest of his career. He looks a very compact batsman well organized in attack and defence.

Once Hossain went, Sohag Gazi played well for his 21, but the rest of the batting had nothing much to offer and Bangladesh were all out just at tea for 638 made in 196 overs. The lead was worth 68 runs.

All Sri Lankan bowlers were made to toil. The medium pacers Nuwan Kulasekera went for 94 runs for 2 wickets, Shamindra Eranga 2 for 122, and spinners Rangana Herath went for 161 for his 2 wickets, Ajantha Mendis 2 for 152 and Tillekeratne Dilshan 2 for 75.

What was of interest was that while Herath went for 161 from 62 overs, Mendis was pulverized for 152 in 36 overs. Eranga went for 122 in 34 overs. Bowling figures that do not make good reading considering that they were all front line bowlers. Galle, Monday.

Sri Lanka 1st innings 
570-4 decl (L. Thirimanne 155 not out, K. Sangakkara142, D. Chandimal 116 not out; Sohag Gazi 3-164)
Bangladesh 1st innings (overnight 438-4):
Jahurul Islam c Chandimal b Eranga 		 20
Anamul Haque b Mendis 				 13
Mohammad Ashraful c Mathews b Herath 		190
Mominul Haque c Mathews b Kulasekara 		 55
Mohammad Mahmudullah st Chandimal b Herath 	  0
Mushfiqur Rahim lbw b Kulasekara 		200
Nasir Hossain c Sangakkara b Dilshan 		100
Sohag Gazi c Vithanage b Mendis 		 21
Abul Hasan not out 				 16
Elias Sunny c Chandimal b Dilshan 		  0
Shahadat Hossain b Eranga 			 13
Extras (b2, lb1, nb7) 				 10
Total (for all out; 196 overs)	 		638
Fall of wickets: 1-23 (Jahurul), 2-65 (Anamul), 3-170 (Mominul), 4-177 (Mahmudullah), 
5-444 (Ashraful), 6-550 (Rahim), 7-581 (Gazi), 8-618 (Nasir), 9-618 (Sunny), 10-638 (Shahadat).
Bowling: Kulasekara 27-3-94-2 (nb1), Eranga 34-4-122-2 (nb6), Herath 62-11-161-2, 
Mendis 36-3-152-2, Mathews 9-2-18-0, Dilshan 26-5-75-2, Thirimanne 2-0-13-0.

Sri Lanka 2nd innings 
D. Karunaratne c Hasan b Hossain 	 3
T. Dilshan not out 			63
K. Sangakkara  not out 			49 
Extras (nb1)				 1
Total (for one wicket; 30 overs)	116
Fall of wicket: 1-17 (Karunaratne)
Bowling : Hossain 5-1-18-1 (nb1), Hasan 5-0-15-0, Gazi 9-1-37-0, 
Sunny 5-0-14-0, Mominul 3-0-13-0, Ashraful 1-0-10-0, Mahmudullah 2-0-9-0