Sri Lanka 2-73 at lunch in first Test

| May 15, 2022

Offspinner Nayeem Hasan claimed 2-28 as Bangladesh reduced Sri Lanka to 2-73 at lunch on the opening day of the first Test on Sunday.

Nayeem, playing his first Test since February last year, claimed Sri Lanka captain Dimuth Karunaratne and Oshada Fernando just before the interval to end the opening session on a high for the hosts.

Kusal Mendis was batting on 27 with Angelo Mathews yet to score.

After Sri Lanka won the toss, opener Fernando looked solid but Nayeem troubled Karunaratne with his wily offspin.

He eventually had the tourist’s skipper out leg-before for nine with a quicker delivery to have Sri Lanka at 1-23.

Fernando meanwhile found the boundaries at regular intervals to keep Bangladesh’s fielders busy, but was dismissed for 36, trying to defend another quicker delivery from Nayeem. He reviewed the decision immediately but in vain.

Before the match a minute’s silence was observed at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in the memory of former Australian player Andrew Symonds, who died in a car accident on Saturday night near Townsville.