Sri Lanka lost the initiative on a decisive fourth day of the first test in failing to pressing home the overnight 368 for 4 high bowled out for 485 as Bangladesh ended the day on 177 for 3 leading by 187 runs at the Galle International Cricket Stadium.
The Lankan innings lost way following two quick strikes by off spinner Nayeem Hasan in a 5-wicket haul removing Lankan skipper Dhananjaya for the addition of just two runs to his overnight 17 and Kusal Mendis for 5 in identical fashion luring them to edging to wicket-keeper Litton Das as the hosts were dismissed for 485 edged on by Kamindu Mendis’ 87 off 148 balls inclusive of 8 boundaries and No. 8 Milan Rathnayake an enterprising 39 off 83 with 3 boundaries and a six in an 84-run seventh-wicket partnership.
He went on to remove Kamindu Mendis who was just 13 runs from a century when he had him edging one to Das.
Chief Scores
Bangladesh 495 and 177/3 (57 Overs)
(Shadman Islam 76, Najmul Hossain Shanto n.o. 56, Mushfiqur Rahim n.o. 22, Mominul Haque 14, Milan Rathnayake 1/13, Prabath Jayasuriya 1/48, Tharindu Rathnayake 1/51)
Sri Lanka 485 (131.2 Overs)
(Pathum Nissanka 187, Kamindu Mendis 87, Dinesh Chandimal 54, Angelo Mathews 39, Milan Rathnayake 39, Dhananjaya de Silva 19, Pra