Bangladesh v Sri Lanka, second Test: Day 1

Southpaw Taijul Islam has dismissed Dhananjaya de Silva to break Sri Lanka’s fifth-wicket resistance after lunch on the opening day of the second Test.

Taijul skidded one through that stayed low and de Silva (34) missed a pull shot to be bowled after a 66-run stand with Dinesh Chandimal at the P Sara Oval in Colombo on Wednesday.

Sri Lanka slipped to 137 for 5 in 48 overs with Chandimal (52) and Niroshan Dickwella (1) trying to steady the ship.

Pacer Subashis Roy took Asela Gunaratne (13) at the stroke of lunch to seal a dominating morning session for Bangladesh, leaving Sri Lanka tottering on 70 for 4 in their first innings.

The dismissal broke Gunaratne’s 35-run fourth-wicket partnership with Chandimal.

Before that wily young spinner Mehedi Hasan Miraz struck twice in quick succession to put Bangladesh on top early in the morning of the first day of their 100th Test.

Miraz’s well-flighted delivery dipped on Kusal Mendis (5) as the batsman lunged a long way forward. Mendis missed the ball, allowing Mushfiqur Rahim to whip the bails off.

After tossing up a flurry of deliveries that simply skidded on, Miraz took out Upul Tharanga (11) with one that did.

Mustafizur Rahman drew first blood for Bangladesh after Sri Lanka were off to a sluggish start.

Dimuth Karunaratne (7 off 32 balls) played a loose drive away from the body and Miraz held on to a stunning catch in the slips.

Bangladesh, who began with three successive maidens after being asked to field, made four changes to the lineup from Galle.

Liton Kumar Das had been ruled out for an injury the previous day while Mahmudullah’s exclusion was announced earlier as well. Mominul Haque and Taskin Ahmed were also dropped.

Imrul Kayes, Sabbir Rahman and Taijul Islam were brought in and Mosaddek Hossain made his debut.