adminCHITTAGONG. — 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 No 3 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. — Reuters.
Online Reporter