Chattogram Test, Day 1: Mathews' 114* powers SL to 258/4
Sri Lanka dominated the Day 1 proceeding against Bangladesh in the first Test underway in Chattogram. Batting first, the Dimuth Karunaratne-led side powered their way to 258/4 on stumps. Angelo Mathews and Kusal Mendis showed character and clocked a hundred and a fifty respectively. Bangladesh's spin trio of Nayeem Hasan (2/71), Shakib Al Hasan (1/27), and Taijul Islam (1/73) were among the wickets.
Sri Lanka lost Dimuth Karunaratne early on in the innings. However, they took control back in the game courtesy of crucial partnerships from Oshada Fernando (36) and Mendis. Mathews preserved to crack a scintillating hundred. Later, Dinesh Chandimal (34*) stitched a significant partnership alongside Mathews to drive the Lankans to a competitive total. For Bangladesh, pacers remained wicket-less while Nayeem Hasan pocketed two scalps.
The veteran cricketer outplayed the Bangladeshi bowlers. The middle-order batter was dropped on 69 off Taijul Hasan's delivery. He rode on his luck to strike a crucial 114* off 213 deliveries. He struck a four off Shoriful Islam to clock his 12th Test century. Mathews hammered 14 fours and one six. He has now amassed 6,546 runs in 95 matches at 44.83.
The right-handed batter notched his maiden Test hundred against Bangladesh. He has now amassed 384 runs against the Bangla Tigers while averaging 54.85 (one hundred, one fifty). Mathews now averages a prolific 124.00 in Bangladesh. He has aggregated 248 runs across three Tests.
Mendis cherished the challenge to stamp his 13th fifty in the whites He has hoarded 579 runs in five Tests against Bangladesh while averaging a whopping 72.37. It was his second half-century against the Bangla Tigers, having struck two hundreds and a fifty earlier. He struck only three fours and was dismissed on 54(131) while trying to pull a short-pitched delivery to short mid-wicket.
Opener Oshada Fernando (36) and Karunaratne had a good enough start to the inning. The duo added 23 runs. Fernando failed to convert his start into a big total. However, he had stitched a decent 43-run stand for the second wicket alongside Mathews. The number four batter then hoarded crucial totals alongside Mendis, de Silva, and lastly an unbeaten 75-run stand with Chandimal (34*).
Mathews and Mendis played through the Bangladeshi bowlers. While Mendis opted for a conservative approach, Matthews was bullish enough and dealt with boundaries at needed intervals. The duo played valiantly, adding 92 runs for the second wicket. SL denied any wickets throughout the second session but fumbled in the last session. They lost the wickets of Mendis and de Silva in quick intervals.
Bangladesh had a desirable start to the innings. Nayeem bowled a quicker one that plumbed Karunaratne (9). Post tea, Taijul Islam bowled a shorter one to trap a well-set Mendis on the very delivery. Shakib then dismissed Dhananajaya de Silva (6) on a tossed-up delivery that edged towards the gully. Meanwhile, pacers Khaled Ahmed and Shoriful Islam failed to make any inroads.
