Bangladesh pacer Taskin Ahmed picked up two wickets while spinner Taijul Islam took one in the morning session on the second day of the second and final Test against hosts Sri Lanka at Pallekele stadium, Kandy on Friday.
Overnight centurion Lahiru Thirimanne (140) was the first to return to pavilion in the first ball of 105th over. The shortish and down the leg side ball of Taskin was not the greatest delivery. Thirimanne looked to tuck it off his hip, and ended up sending a little feather to the keeper Liton Das. Taskin bowled with lot of heart in his first over as well.
Just two balls later, in the second over of Taskin in the morning, he sent another fiery length ball, hitting the pitch on a good length on off stump, and straightening off the deck. The ball beat Angelo Mathews’ outside edge as he pressed forward to defend. Ultra Edge showed a spike as the ball passed bat, but no one appealed.
Two overs later, Taskin picked up the wicket of Mathews (5) who sent a thick outside edge to the keeper. That was the third catch for wicketkeeper Liton Das in the match.
Three overs later, left arm orthodox Taijul Islam picked up the wicket of Dhananjaya de Silva (2). Najmul Hossain Shanto took the catch at the first slip after a deflection off the gloves of keeper Liton. The score of Sri Lanka was 328.
Bangladesh skipper Mominul Haque continued with Taskin Ahmed as the team sensed an opening to gain ground in the match that the head coach Russell Domingo hoped to win to secure the series.
Overnight half-centurion Oshada Fernando (65) and new batsman Pathum Nissanka are in the task of rebuilding the Sri Lanka innings.
Earlier, in the batter-dominated first day, the hosts piled up 291 runs losing the wicket of centurion Dimuth Karunaratne (118). He scored career best 244 in the first match of the series.
Until filing of this report, the pitch seemed to have been showing signs in favour of the bowlers – both pacers and spinners.