More Records Go Before Galle Run-Fest Is Drawn

More Records Go Before Galle Run-Fest Is Drawn

Tillakaratne Dishan registered his 16th Test century on the final day - one of seven players to hit a century in the game.

©REUTERS / Action Images

Sri Lanka 570-4 dec. & 335-4 dec. drew with
Bangladesh 638 (Mushfiqur Rahim 200) & 70-1
First Test, Galle
Scorecard | Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4
Report by John Pennington

More history was made on the final day of the first Test between Sri Lanka and Bangladesh in Galle before the match was, inevitably, drawn.

Centuries for Tillakaratne Dilshan (126) and Kumar Sangakkara (105) equalled the record of eight centuries in one Test as Sri Lanka declared on 335 for four and Bangladesh closed on 70 for one in their second innings.

Dilshan and Sangakkara, who also registered a century in the first innings, put on 213 for the second wicket and the declaration left Bangladesh a notional target of 268.

They lost Anamul Haque for one, but saw out the remainder of the match through Jahurul Islam (41 not out) and Mohammad Ashraful (22 not out).

The day began with Sri Lanka on 116 for one; Dilshan and Sangakkara continued the theme of the match by easily plundering runs and making their way to their 16th and 32nd Test centuries respectively.

Dilshan made 126 in 190 balls with nine fours and Sangakkara, who lifted himself to 10th in the all-time Test run-scorers list on the opening day, made 105 in 172 deliveries with 10 boundaries.

Both men fell to Mahmudullah, who then had debutant Kithuruwan Vithanage bowled for 59 to return figures of three for 70. He was one of eight bowlers used by Bangladesh, and after captain Angelo Mathews reached 38 and Lahiru Thirimanne two, Sri Lanka decided enough was enough, and it was time to try and put Bangladesh under some pressure.

Anamul made just one before he was bowled by Shaminda Erange, but sensibly, Bangladesh paid no attention to the target and batted their way to safety.

Jahurul made 41 in 73 balls and Ashraful, who made 190 in Bangladesh's first innings of 638 in reply to Sri Lanka's 570 for four declared, closed on 22 in 56.

It is evident from the match totals of 1,613 runs and 19 wickets that there was little in this game for the bowlers but Bangladesh will at least have something to celebrate. This was the first time in 13 Tests against Sri Lanka where they weren't on the losing side.

For the first time, a Bangladeshi reached 200 in a Test match, Mushfiqur Rahim hitting exactly that score to help them reach a new national record score of 638.

There were also three debut centuries in the game as Thirimanne, Dinesh Chandimal and Nasir Hossain reached three figures for the first time.

The second Test gets underway in Colombo on Friday (16th March), ahead of whcih Bangladesh have added left-arm spinner Abdur Razzak to their squad.

© Cricket World 2013