BAN vs SL, 1st Test: Mathews' 199 headlines Day 2
Sri Lanka fought their way against Bangladesh to rack up 397 in the first innings in Chattogram. Angelo Mathews (199) missed out on a deserving double-ton. Nayeem Hasan claimed a six-fer to obliterate the visitors. Later, the hosts came up with a hostile display to finish on 76/0 at stumps. Bangladesh trail by 321 runs, heading into Day 3. Here is Day 2 report.
Starting his day from 114*, Mathews was quite lucky in the fourth over. He edged Khaled Ahmed, but nobody on the field noticed. Mathews capitalized on the same and extended his stay to 397 deliveries. He mustered all his experience to rack up a stellar 199, his second-highest score in Tests. His knock was laced with 19 fours and one six.
Mathews is only the 12th Test batter to be dismissed on 199 in whites. He has joined the likes of Mudassar Nasar, Mohammed Azharuddin, Sanath Jayasuriya, Steve Waugh, Matthew Elliott, Younis Khan, Ian Bell, Steve Smith, KL Rahul, Dean Elgar, and Faf du Plessis. Surprisingly, he is the first Test batter to be dismissed on scores of 99 and 199.
The veteran batter tormented the Bangladeshi bowlers throughout his stay in the middle. He now has 6,631 runs in 95 Tests at 45.10. He averages 58.62 against Bangladesh, having amassed 469 runs across seven Tests. Mathews now averages 111.00 in Bangladesh.
Chandimal was rock solid on Day 2. He didn't resort to boundaries, unlike his colleague. He held his nerves to dish out a gritty 66 off 148 deliveries. It was his 21st Test fifty and third against Bangladesh. Notably, Chandimal now averages a whopping 76.60 against Bangladesh in Tests. He has amassed 766 runs against Bangladesh from nine Tests (four hundreds).
Nayeem was the chief architect in bundling out the visitors before they could stamp close to 500 runs on board. The off-spinner punched his best figures in an inning in Tests (6/105). Notably, it was his maiden six-wicket haul in whites. Shakib Al Hasan, who was his partner in crime, pocketed 3/60. Meanwhile, fellow Taijul Islam (1/107) remained wicket-less on Day 2.
Nayeem ran down the Lankan line-up, dismissing Chandimal and Niroshan Dickwella. Mathews had stitched a mammoth 136-run stand with Chandimal for the fifth wicket. Post lunch, Shakib trapped Ramesh Mendis and Lasith Embuldeniya in back-to-back deliveries in the 117th over. Vishwa Fernando was retired hurt on Shoriful Islam's bouncer. Later, Nayeem got the better of Mathews, forcing him to strike toward mid-wicket.
Having conceded 397 runs, it was time Bangladesh rendered a solid beating to the visitors. Tamim Iqbal was dropped in the second over on what was later declared a no-ball. He then dished out a fearless approach alongside Mahmudul Hasan Joy. The duo smacked 76 runs in 19 overs. They wrapped up their Day 2 proceedings with scores of 35* and 31*, respectively.
