Going into a Test match with just one specialist pace bowler would surprise any opposition, and Sri Lanka were no exception. The Islanders shook their heads when they saw that Bangladesh had picked just one pacer for the second Test in Chittagong on Tuesday.
That was, however, perhaps the only surprise in store for Sri Lanka in this match. Everything else proceeded in a familiar manner, with their batsmen dominating the bowlers once again to compile a commendable 314-5 on the opening day.
The Tigers were again undisciplined in their bowling, mostly pitching balls wide and short of a length on a slow wicket, enabling Sri Lanka to overcome a shaky start and take control of the innings.
One major setback for Bangladesh was the injury of Abdur Razzak – the additional spinner Bangladesh picked at the expense of a pace bowler – who bowled just four overs before a hamstring problem forced him to leave the field.
In the absence of Razzak, off-spinner Mahmudullah shared bowling load with Sohag Gazi and Sakib al Hasan, but he could not make much of an impact in his comeback Test despite picking up the key wicket of Mahela Jayawardene.
Mahmudullah admitted that Bangladesh did not bowl the way they had expected to, especially when Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakkara batted for their 178-run third-wicket stand.
‘Gazi and I were bowling at them,’ Mahmudullah said in the post-day briefing.
‘We tried to contain them, as did Mushfiqur want. There were times when we did miss the length.’
‘Sometimes when the ball doesn’t turn, spinners get frustrated.’
‘We did bowl a few bad balls, but when we regrouped, the discussion was to contain the runs. We came back well.’
Mahumdullah insisted that two more quick wickets on the second morning would bring them back in the contest.
‘It is a little tough to make predictions about this wicket. We have to see what happens tomorrow,’ he said.
‘We hope that there will be spin. This morning it spun for a while with the new ball, while it didn’t during the middle period and then later with the new ball.’
‘If we can take two early wickets, we can capitalise on that. Two early wickets and we can break their tail,’ said Mahumullah, who turned 29 on Tuesday.
Sri Lanka were pleased with what they got on the first day and vice-captain Dinesh Chandimal said that 200 more runs would give them firm control of the game.
‘It was not easy to bat in these conditions,’ said Chandimal.
‘The ball came onto the bat really slow. When you get set, you definitely have to bat throughout the innings. So we’ll have to take runs as much as possible. We’ll keep our fingers crossed for that.’
‘Still we have Kithuruwan [Vithanage] and Dilruwan [Perera], so they are going to get more runs. We’ll hope for 200 runs; that might be a good total.’
-With New Age input
