Sri Lanka set for 500-plus total against Bangladesh in 2nd Test

KANDY: Sri Lanka would be looking at a score in excess of 500 runs early on Saturday after they reached 469 for 6 on the second day of the second Test against Bangladesh at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium on Friday.

Resuming at the overnight score of 291 for the loss of one wicket, the visitors fought back thanks to an impressive display of bowling from Taskin Ahmed. The right-arm Bangladesh fast bowler took three wickets on Friday to restrict the marauding Sri Lanka to 469 on a day when bad light and rain stopped play a couple of times and the proceedings were called off early.

Taskin Ahmed bowled his heart out and was finally rewarded with two big wickets. He got rid of centurion Lahiru Thirimanne and Angelo Mathews for 140 and 5, respectively. Before lunch, Taijul Islam put more pressure on Sri Lanka by dismissing Dhananjaya de Silva for two. A fifth-wicket partnership between Oshando Fernando and Pathum Nissanka looked dangerous before Taskin again provided the breakthrough in his return spell with the wicket for Pathum on 30.

Sri Lanka were in some trouble after losing six wickets for 382. From there on, Niroshan Dickwella attacked the bowlers and scored a quick fifty. He and Ramesh Mendis were involved in an unbeaten 87-run partnership before bad light forced the umpires to call off the day's play.

Brief scores: Sri Lanka 1st inns 469 for 6 in 155.5 overs (L Thirimanne 140, D Karunarante 118, O Fernando 81; T Ahmed 3/119, T Islam 1/83, S Islam 1/52). IANS

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