Shamsur, Kayes’ maiden tons take Bangladesh past follow-on

(Reuters) – Maiden centuries by Shamsur Rahman and Imrul Kayes took Bangladesh past the follow-on mark but late strikes from the spinners put Sri Lanka in the driving seat in the second and final test in Chittagong yesterday.

Bangladesh, needing victory to level the series, reached 409 for eight wickets in their first innings at stumps on the third day, still trailing the visitors by 178 runs.

Mahmudullah (30) and Al-Amin Hossain (three) remain at the crease for the hosts.

Resuming at 86 for one wicket, opener Shamsur (106) and number three Kayes (115) batted through the first session to launch a gritty reply from Bangladesh, who had been battered by a triple-century by Kumar Sangakkara in Sri Lanka’s first innings.

The 25-year-old Shamsur, in his second test, got to his hundred first with a boundary through cover off Sri Lanka captain Angelo Mathews.

Kayes, 27, playing his first test for over two years, survived some nervous moments in the nineties before cutting paceman Suranga Lakmal to the point boundary to complete his century.

Kithuruwan Vithanage, at point, first dropped an easy catch off Ajantha Mendis with the left-hander on 95 and then gleefully accepted another later in the over, only to find out that the bowler had overstepped for a no-ball.

Both Shamsur and Kayes played casual shots to gift their wickets to Mendis after a 232-run partnership.

Off-spinner Dilruwan Perera then dismissed Mominul Haque (13) for the first of his three wickets as Bangladesh wobbled at 259 for four.

The innings was stabilised by a 60-run stand for the fifth wicket between all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan (50) and captain Mushfiqur Rahim (20), before both were dismissed by Perera with Bangladesh still shy of the follow-on mark at 350 for six.

Nasir Hossain (42) added a vital 46 runs with Mahmudullah to take Bangladesh past the follow-on figure of 387 but edged Mendis to Dinesh Chandimal behind the stumps with just over three overs left in the day.

Mendis then claimed his fourth scalp the next ball, trapping Sohag Gazi leg before, but was denied the hat-trick when the umpire turned down another lbw appeal against A-Amin.

Scoreboard

Sri Lanka won the toss and opted to bat

Sri Lanka first innings 587

Bangladesh first innings (overnight 86-1)

Tamim Iqbal b Lakmal                                                      0

Shamsur Rahman b Mendis                                        106

Imrul Kayes b Mendis                                                    115

Mominul Haque lbw b Perera                                       13

Shakib Al Hasanc Karunaratne b Perera                 50

Mushfiqur Rahim c Silva b Perera                              20

Nasir Hossain c Chandimal b Mendis                         42

Mahmudullah not out                                                       30

Sohag Gazi lbw b Mendis                                                   0

Al-Amin Hossain not out                                                  3

Extras: (b-8, lb-1, nb-21)                                              30

Total: (eight wickets; 115 overs)                       409

Still to bat: Abdur Razzak

Fall of wickets: 1-0 2-232 3-252 4-259 5-319 6-350 7-396 8-396

Bowling: (to date): Lakmal 23-5-68-1, Pradeep 15-2-96-0 (nb-13), Mendis 27-2-84-4 (nb-8), Perera 39-4-119-3, Mathews 11-1-33-0

Sri Lanka lead two-test series 1-0