Sports Desk:Sri Lanka scored 268 for 8 in 100 overs and led Bangladesh by 139 runs in their second innings when the umpires called stumps on day-4 of the second Test of the series at Colombo�s P Sara Oval today.
Dilruwan Perera was in the crease and batting on 26 from 126 and Suranga Lakmal on 16 from 17 when the players left the field for the day. The ninth wicket stand of 30 in 8.4 overs went on to frustrate Bangladesh in the last session.
Both Shakib AL Hasan and Mustafizur took three wickets in Sri Lanka�s 2nd innings. Shakib took 3-61 in 30 overs while Fizz took 3-52 in 19.
The hosts now lead by 139 runs and have two wickets in hand. If they manage to add another 30 tomorrow, they will make life tough for Bangladesh.
Taijul Islam gave Bangladesh their eighth wicket during the last session of day-4 when he trapped Sri Lanka stand-in captain in front to leave the hosts at 238 for 8 in 91.2 overs.
Mustafizur went up in a late appeal, after seeing the fielders behind excited. They asked for a review for a caught-behind. The ball was full, angling in and Kusal played with an angled bat.
The ball straightened after pitching and went to the keeper as the batsman stuck out his bat. Bangladesh went for the review after the on-field umpire ruled not out. The third umpire had a long hard look and inferred that there was a noise. The on-field decision was overturned and Bangladesh cricketers celebrate!
Last bat BKG Mendis c ?Mushfiqur Rahim b Mustafizur Rahman 36 (91b 2x4 0x6) SR: 39.56
Fall of wicket 143/2 (44.6 ov); Partnership: 86 runs, 30.5 overs, RR: 2.78 (Karunaratne 48, Mendis 36)
Earlier, Sri Lanka reached 137 for 1 in 43 overs and led Bangladesh by eight runs at lunch on day-4.
The second wicket unbroken stand of 80 in 28.5 overs between Dimuth Karunaratne and Kusal Mendis took Sri Lanka ahead in their second innings. Dimuth was batting on 67 from 113 and Kusal on 36 from 85 when the players left the field for lunch.
Sri Lanka went past Bangladesh in the 41st over bowled by Mehedi Hasan Miraz. Kusal struck a four through the backward square leg boundary with his sweep shot.
Bangladesh nearly had their second wicket during the morning session of day-4 via a run-out in the same over the hosts went ahead. Dimuth opened the bat face and played the ball to point. At the same time his partner Kusal took off for a single.
Dimuth denied his partner the run, and Kusal had to scamper back to his crease. He was almost half way down the pitch and a direct hit would have sent the batsman back to the dressing room.
Kusal brought up the fifty of the 2nd wicket stand in the 32nd over. Sri Lanka opener Dimuth brought up his fifty in the 30th.
Sri Lanka batsmen Dimuth Karunaratne and Kusal Mendis batted through some testing spells from Bangladesh bowlers and took the hosts past 100 in their second innings.
Sri Lanka trailed Bangladesh by 24 runs with nine wickets remaining in their second innings when the score reached 105 for 1 in 30 overs.
Bangladesh Squad: Tamim Iqbal, Soumya Sarkar, Imrul Kayes, Mushfiqur Rahim (Captain, Wicketkeeper), Shakib Al Hasan, Sabbir Rahman, Mehedi Hasan, Mosaddek Hossain Saikat, Mustafizur Rahman, Taijul Islam and Subashis Roy
Sri Lanka Squad: Dimuth Karunaratne, Upul Tharanga, Kusal Mendis, Dinesh Chandimal, Dhananjaya de Silva, Asela Gunaratne, Niroshan Dickwella (Wicketkeeper), Dilruwan Perera, Rangana Herath (Captain), Suranga Lakmal and Lakshan Sandakan
Umpires - Aleem Dar and S Ravi
TV umpire - M Erasmus
Match referee - AJ Pycroft
Reserve umpire - RSA Palliyaguruge