Starting the day on 474/4, Bangladesh added 67 more runs to their total as Mushfiqur Rahim and Liton Das registered half-centuries. In reply, the Sri Lankan openers started off really well. Lahiru Thirimanne scored 58, while skipper Dimuth Karunaratne is still batting on 85 as the hosts finished the day on 229/3.
It was another day where the batsmen dominated. First, the Bangladesh batters consolidated their position of strength before the Sri Lankan openers came out with a statement and piled on the runs.
Bangladesh resumed their innings on 474/4 at the start of this day three. Liton Das and Mushfiqur Rahim went past their respective half-centuries before Vishwa Fernando, and Suranga Lakmal took three wickets in the space of six overs and 13 runs.
Bangladesh finally declared their innings on 541 for 7 as Rahim was unbeaten on 68. Fernando was the pick of the Sri Lankan bowlers as the left-arm fast bowler finished with figures of 4/96.
The Sri Lankan openers needed to survive a tricky period before lunch, and the Bangladesh fast bowlers were pretty impressive in that short burst. Lahiru Thirimanne successfully overturned an LBW decision against him in the last over before lunch as he left one alone from Taskin Ahmed. The ball tracking proved that the ball did not nip back enough and missed the off-stump.
After lunch, the Sri Lankan openers Thirimanne and Dimuth Karunaratne scored freely and upped the scoring rate a touch. Both batsmen looked solid in defence and were putting away the bad balls with ease. The Bangladesh bowlers had little control over their line and length as the left-handed opening duo piled on the runs and scored at a fair clip.
Barring Taskin Ahmed, the fast bowlers leaked quite a few runs, and Abu Jayed and Ebadot Hossain conceded runs at an economy in excess of 3.50. There were barely any chances that they could create. It was Thirimanne who got to his half-century first. It was his fourth fifty in five Test innings as he continued from where he left off in the Caribbean. Thirimanne and Karunaratne went past the 100-run mark with ease.
However, the spinners got a little more purchase as the second session progressed. There was some turn and bounce as Mehidy Hasan Miraz and Taijul Islam started to create a few problems. Islam could’ve had Thirimanne out LBW, but the appeal was turned down by the umpire and Bangladesh opted against the review.
But it didn’t cost the visitors much as Mehidy Hasan got the first breakthrough on the stroke of Tea. The off-spinner had Thirimanne LBW on the last ball before Tea. The left-handed opener was out for 58 as Sri Lanka went in for Tea at 114/1 with Karunaratne batting on 43.
In the third session, Karunaratne continued frustrating the Bangladesh bowlers and notched up his 26th Test fifty. Oshada Fernando was looking pretty fluent, but he couldn’t really convert his start. He struck four boundaries in his 43-ball stay before he was caught down the leg-side off Taskin Ahmed.
Angelo Mathews walked in and looked in solid touch. He timed the ball pretty well and scored 25, which included four boundaries. Taijul Islam got one to turn and knocked over Mathews’ stumps to give Bangladesh their third wicket.
It was an opening for Bangladesh to get a couple more wickets before the close of play, but Dhananjaya de Silva joined his skipper Karunaratne and ensured Sri Lanka managed to remain only three down at stumps. The off-spinning all-rounder chipped in with an unbeaten 26 while Karunaratne remained not out on 85, taking Sri Lanka to 229/3.
Brief Scores
Sri Lanka 229/3 (Dimuth Karunaratne 85*, Lahiru Thirimanne 58; Taskin Ahmed 1/35, Islam 1/56) trail Bangladesh 541/7 decl (Shanto 163, Mominul 127, Tamim 90, Rahim 68*, Fernando 4/96) by 312 runs
