Herath Takes Five As Sri Lanka Have Better Of Opening Day

Herath Takes Five As Sri Lanka Have Better Of Opening Day

Rangana Herath continued his remarkable rise since Muttiah Muralitharan's retirement on day one in Colombo.

©REUTERS/Dinuka Liyanawatte. Picture Supplied by Action Images

Bangladesh 240 (Herath 5-68) v
Sri Lanka 18-1
Second Test, RPC, day one
Scorecard

After the batting marathon that was the first Test in Galle, the bowlers found things a little more to their liking as the second Test between Bangladesh and Sri Lanka began in Colombo. The batsmen struggled on a slow, low pitch and weren’t helped by the terrible outfield.

Bangladesh were bowled out for 240 after being asked to bat as Rangana Herath drew on all of his experience to take five wickets, while Nuwan Kulasekara chipped in with three. Robiul Islam then removed the dangerous Tillakaratne Dilshan in the four overs that the home side faced in their reply.

Bangladesh had begun relatively well despite losing the returning Tamim Iqbal in the Kulasekara’s fourth over. They ground their way to 128 for three midway through the afternoon session but lost vice-captain Mahmuddullah and captain Mushfiqur Rahim in fairly quick succession.

Mominul Haque had been responsible for much of the run-scoring up until that point, making the most of a couple of reprieves to top-scored with 64. However, he became Herath’s third victim with the score on 163.

Two more of Bangladesh’s young guns, Nasir Hossain and Sohag Gazi then tried to wrest back the initiative with a combative seventh-wicket stand of 59. Sohag had reached 32 prior to falling, again to Herath, while Nasir rapidly ran out of partners and was last man out two short of another Test fifty to give Herath his 15th five-wicket haul.

Robiul Islam then struck with his third ball to raise the tourists’ hopes ahead of day two. He bowled a short, wide delivery which Dilshan aimed to cut but could only succeed in edging to Rahim behind the wicket. Nonetheless, it is Sri Lanka who will be the happier of the two sides after day one and they should fancy their chances of a whole day’s batting tomorrow against what is a weak and inexperienced Bangladesh seam attack.

© Cricket World 2013