Sharp Bangladesh keep Sri Lanka in check

Sri Lanka fought back in the final 75 minutes of play in Colombo through an obdurate eighth-wicket partnership between Dinesh Chandimal and Rangana Herath, but Bangladesh won the day, making a fine start to their landmark 100th Test. When bad light stopped play at 5.16pm, they had taken seven wickets and given away only 238 runs.

Chandimal was unbeaten on 86 off 210 balls with four fours, in a great display of solidity against a Bangladesh attack that consistently threatened. Mustafizur Rahman and Mehedi Hasan took two wickets each, while Subashis Roy, Shakib Al Hasan and Taijul Islam backed them up with controlled spells taking one wicket apiece.

Bangladesh overcame some of the disadvantage of losing the toss with Mustafizur and Mehedi making crucial early strikes. Mustafizur tempted opener Dimuth Karunaratne to play away from his body and had him caught at gully by Mehedi, who then took over and took out not one but both centurions from the Galle Test - Kusal Mendis and Upul Tharanga.

Mendis ran past a drifter and was stumped by Mushfiqur Rahim, who took over the gloves with Liton Das injured, and Tharanga was caught at slip after jabbing at a classic offspinner's delivery. Roy then claimed the morning session for Bangladesh when he trapped Asela Gunaratne lbw for 13, which left Sri Lanka on 70 for 4 at lunch.

Things changed in the afternoon though. Chandimal, recognising the importance of batting through the innings, did not hit a single boundary in the session as he helped Sri Lanka up their score by 79 runs for the loss of only one wicket. That wicket came in the 48th over when a fluent Dhananjaya de Silva tried to pull Taijul Islam's left-arm spin and was instead bowled. Sri Lanka's largest partnership of the innings - 66 runs in 19.4 overs - had been broken. It might have ended a lot sooner if not for DRS. In the 39th over, Shakib had got the on-field umpire's approval for a catch off the inside edge at slip, but with Chandimal opting for the review, replays showing no conclusive evidence of bat being involved.

Sri Lanka began the third session positively, taking four fours off Subashis, but Shakib made up for it from the other end when he removed Niroshan Dickwella, who had struck three of those boundaries, for 34. Mustafizur followed that up by having Dilruwan Perera caught at second slip to reinforce Bangladesh's dominance.

Sri Lanka's hopes now rest with their captain Herath, who successfully challenged Aleem Dar ruling him lbw, and Chandimal. They had put on 43 runs in 18.3 overs, before dark clouds descended over the P Sara Oval, forcing early stumps.