Sri Lanka reduce Bangladesh to 157-5 chasing 457
GALLE, Sri Lanka (AP) — Sri Lanka were eyeing a big win in the first cricket Test against Bangladesh after reducing the tourists to 157-5 at lunch on the final day on Saturday in Galle.
The tourists were 300 runs behind chasing an improbable target of 457.
Resuming from its overnight score of 67-0, Bangladesh lost opener Soumya Sarkar off the second ball of the day to seamer Asela Gunaratne. Bangladesh lost five wickets in the first hour to give Sri Lanka complete control as captain Rangana Herath and off-spinner Dilruwan Perera took two wickets apiece.
After Bangladesh lost five wickets for 37 runs in the morning, captain Mushfiqur Rahim and wicketkeeper Liton Das staged a fightback by carrying on till lunch without further loss.
Mushfiqur, who made a fine 85 in the first innings, was unbeaten on 34 at lunch while Liton was on 32.
After the opening stand was broken, Dilruwan Perera trapped Mominul Haque lbw for 5, with the batsman unsuccessfully reviewing the decision.
Overnight batsman Tamim Iqbal was superbly caught by Dimuth Karunaratne at leg-slip to give Perera his second wicket.
Herath struck twice in an over when he dismissed Shakib Al Hasan (8) and Mahmudullah Riyad (0) cheaply.
It was Herath's 362nd wicket in Tests, equaling New Zealander Daniel Vettori's record for most wickets by a left-arm spinner.
