Late strikes by Vishwa, Asitha put Lanka on top in Colombo

Sri Lanka’s bowlers ensured the home side remained in firm control on Day 1 of the second Test against Bangladesh at the Sinhalese Sports Club (SSC) in Colombo, despite a slew of missed chances in the field.

After winning the toss and electing to bat first on what was expected to be a batter-friendly surface, Bangladesh found themselves reeling at 220 for 8 at stumps, their innings dented by tight, disciplined bowling and some reckless shot selection.

The day’s play, which was affected by rain, particularly during the second session, saw Sri Lanka drop as many as five catches and miss a run-out opportunity, but their control with the ball never really loosened. Wickets were shared among five of the six bowlers used, with Asitha Fernando, Vishwa Fernando, and debutant Sonal Dinusha picking up two wickets each, while Dhananjaya de Silva and Tharindu Rathnayake chipped in with one apiece.

The highlight of the day was Dinusha, the 24-year-old left-arm spinner, who made a dream debut. He claimed the key scalps of Mushfiqur Rahim and Litton Das in a tidy opening spell, becoming just the fourth bowler since ball-by-ball data began to start his Test career with three maiden overs and a wicket.

Earlier, Bangladesh struggled to build partnerships, despite several batters getting starts. Six batters crossed 20, but none converted it into anything more substantial. Their most promising stand came between Mushfiqur and Litton, who added 67 runs at a brisk pace in the second session. But both batters fell playing rash strokes — Mushfiqur holing out at deep midwicket off Dinusha, and Litton edging behind attempting a cut shot too close to his body.

Fielding errors plagued Sri Lanka throughout. Prabath Jayasuriya dropped Litton at deep midwicket, and Lahiru Udara spilled Mushfiqur in a similar fashion. Kusal Mendis, too, missed a late stumping chance. But for every lapse, Sri Lanka found a way to bounce back. Asitha Fernando’s dismissal of Nayeem Hasan late in the day — a beautiful delivery that clipped the off-stump — was a prime example of Sri Lanka’s persistence paying off.

Bangladesh’s inability to rotate strike — paired with Sri Lanka’s consistent lengths — meant pressure was constantly building. Even as the visitors saw off long stretches without losing wickets, they failed to seize control. Mominul Haque fell cheaply, chipping a harmless delivery to cover, while Shadman Islam, who top-scored with 46, edged a wide delivery to slip.

At the close of play, Taijul Islam and Ebadot Hossain were at the crease, hoping to extend Bangladesh’s total beyond 250 — a figure that’s still below par given the pitch conditions and Sri Lanka’s strong batting unit.

With the SSC surface likely to ease up on Day 2, Bangladesh may come to regret their lack of application and missed opportunity to post a strong first-innings total. Meanwhile, Sri Lanka will be buoyed by a clinical all-round bowling effort and the promise shown by their new faces, particularly Dinusha, as they look to take early command of the series decider.

Agencies