Batsmen rule as Pallekele Test ends in draw

April 25, 2021

PBC News: No play was possible on the final session of the opening Test because of rain as Sri Lanka and Bangladesh played out a high-scoring draw. Sri Lanka declared on 648 for 8 with two sessions to go in the Test and Bangladesh responded with 100 for 2 at Tea. Rain arrived just before resumption of play and ensured the bowlers were put out of their miseries.

While both teams will walk away with certain answers and questions, there will be more worry lines for the curator before the second Test from April 29. Dimuth Karunaratne resumed on 234 but failed to get to the 250-run mark. Dhananjaya de Silva fell seven short of his highest Test score and was dismissed for 166. Karunaratne started the day with a boundary but Taskin Ahmed gave Bangladesh the early lift-me-up wicket. The pacer struck in the fifth over of the day to remove de Silva, reports Cricbuzz.

Soon after, he accounted for Karunaratne as well as the Sri Lanka captain pulled a short delivery to midwicket. Pathum Nissanka made 12 while Niroshan Dickwella looked set for a lot more during his fluent 31. And while Bangladesh did manage to get into the lower order, Wanindu Hasaranga and Suranga Lakmal ensured they had to stay on the field for one more session. The pair scored a brisk half-century stand before Hasaranga was bowled for 43.

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Sri Lanka did try and make a match out of it when they decided not to bat post lunch. Saif Hassan had bagged a duck in the first innings and was able to manage just 1 in the second innings to end his disappointing outing. There was a duck in store for first-innings centurion Najmul Hossain Shanto as Bangladesh were in some early trouble at 27 for 2.

Tamim Iqbal, who stayed unbeaten on 74, eased some nerves and helped the side get out of the wobble. Mominul Haque and Tamim ensured there were no more wickets in the session as they reduced the deficit to just seven before the teams settled for a draw.

Brief scores: Bangladesh 541/7 dec (Najmul Hossain Shanto 163, Mominul Haque 127; Vishwa Fernando 4-96) & 100/2 (Tamim Iqbal 74) drew with Sri Lanka 648/8 dec (Dimuth Karunaratne 244, Dhananjaya de Silva 166; Taskin Ahmed 3/112).