Sri Lanka – Bangladesh 1st Test Day 4 DRAW LOOKING INEVITABLE

Kamindu Mendis and Milan Ratnayake led a rearguard action (Pix courtesy SLC)

By M. Shamil Amit

The completion of the fourth day’s play in the first Test match between Sri Lanka and Bangladesh played at the Galle International Stadium points to an inevitable draw with Bangladesh ending their second innings with the score on 177 for 3 for an overall lead of 187 runs. This was after Sri Lanka resumed on their overnight score of 368 for 4 ending their innings on 485 runs in reply to the visitors’ total of 495.

The morning session saw overnight pair Kamindu Mendis and skipper Dhananjaya de Silva being able to add only another nine runs before being separated with the dismissal of Dhananjaya for 19. Kusal Mendis who came into the crease failed to make any impression, being dismissed cheaply for five with Sri Lanka’s score on 386 for 6.

Kamindu Mendis joined by Milan Ratnayake saw them fight back as Kamindu reached his half ton with the pair putting up Sri Lanka’s 400 runs on the board which followed with them posting their 50 runs stand for the seventh wicket as Sri Lanka went into the lunch break on 465 for 6.

Bangladesh’s Nayeem Hasan celebrating his five-wicket haul

The post lunch session saw the pair being separated with five runs added with the dismissal of Ratnayake who made 39 after sharing a valuable 84 runs for the seventh wicket with Kamindu.

The separation of the pair saw the host side,  not lasting long as they lost the remaining three wickets for the addition of just 15 runs being bowled out for 485 with Nayeem Hasan who ended with a five-wicket haul doing the damage, which included Kamindu Mendis who made 87 in 147 balls with eight boundaries and a six.

Bangladesh batting the second time ended the day on 177 for 4.

Opener Shadman Islam made 76 inclusive of seven boundaries and skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto who put on 68 runs for the third wicket remained unbeaten on 56 with six boundaries. He shared in another unbroken 49-run stand for the fourth wicket with Mushfiqur Rahim.