NZ vs SL | Angelo Mathews Goes Past 7,000 Test Runs
SL vs PAK | Day 2 Report | Ramesh Mendis stifles Pakistan as Sri Lanka take control
SL vs PAK | 2nd Test | Fifties from Dinesh Chandimal and Oshada Fernando hand Sri Lanka advantage on Day 1
SL vs AUS | 2nd Test | Pathum Nissanka ruled out after contracting Covid
SL vs AUS | 1st Test | Angelo Mathews tested positive for COVID-19
Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) confirmed that the veteran all-rounder has been ruled out of the remainder of the game on the third day morning just prior to the start of the play.
SL vs BAN | 2nd Test, Day 2: Sri Lanka steady after quick fall of wickets in Pallekele
Sri Lanka ended the second day’s play at 469/6 against Bangladesh on Friday in Pallekele. The home side began the day’s proceedings at 291/1 with Lahiru Thirimane and Oshada Fernando out there in the middle. While Thirimane struck 140 before getting out to Taskin Ahmed, Fernando notched up 81. Captain Karunaratne had also scored a century before getting out on Day 1. The hosts then lost some wickets in quick succession and Sri Lanka were reduced to 382/6 from 313/2 before Niroshan Dickwella and Ramesh Mendis joined hands and steadied the ship for the side once again to put an unbeaten 87 before the end of the day’s play. Dickwella was at 64* and Mendis at 22* when the stumps were called after bad lights stopped the play. Bangladesh pacer Taskin picked up three wickets while Mehidy Hasan, Shoriful Ismal and Taijul Islam scalped a wicket apiece. Oshada who missed out on a hundred during the course expressed his disappointment. "I'm very disappointed about not getting to a hundred. I was out for 90-odd in the West Indies as well, and when you're a batsman, you feel you need to get those runs. It doesn't matter where I get to bat - No. 3 or 4, or wherever, what you have to do is score runs as a batsman,'' Fernando told reporters after the day's play. Talking about Bangladesh bowlers, Fernando admitted that the visitors did bowl well in the morning session and resisted the batsmen to score runs quickly. "They bowled well in the morning, so we weren't able to score quickly then," he said. "They bowled line and length very well. There was a bit of cloud cover, they probably had some help from the surface as well,” he added. The first match of the two-match Test series between Sri Lanka and Bangladesh ended in a draw.
SL vs BAN | 2nd Test - Sri Lanka take Day 1 honours, Karunaratne and Thirimanne score centuries
Yet again it proved to be a batting paradise at the Pallekele International Stadium as Sri Lanka took the Day 1 honour against Bangladesh on the opening day of the second Test. There was no hesitation in Dimuth Karunaratne’s mind after winning the toss. Batting first was a no-brainer and they justified the call by posting 291 on the board at the end of 90 overs losing just the wicket. The pitch seemed to be a belter as the bowlers got no help what so ever. Taskin Ahmed and Abu Jayed got some help early on but once Karunaratne and Thirimanne were set, the Bangladesh bowlers were all over the place and didn’t quite manage to break their partnership. Both Thirimanne and Karunaratne were hardly bothered by any of the bowlers. Karunaratne who has been one of the most consistent run-scorers for Sri Lanka in the longest format did his reputation no harm carving his way to yet another well-deserved Test century. It was his 12th Test century and he laid the foundation well for the rest of the batters. He was eventually dismissed after a partnership of 209 runs with Thirimanne. It was Shoriful Islam who bagged the wicket of the captain. Thirimanne played the field to perfection and never really allowed the bowlers to settle in. The stylish left-hander played some delightful shots as the bowlers found it difficult to bowl to a particular line to him. Mehidy Hasan did beat his outside edge on a few occasions but those were few are far between. Thirimanne reached a well-deserved century with a dab down the deep third man region. It was his 3rd Test hundred. Following Karunaratne’s dismissal, he did nothing silly and again build another partnership with Oshada Fernando who remained unbeaten on 40. They took their time but made sure that they don’t play any loose shots and end the day’s play without losing any more wickets. Brief Scores Sri Lanka 291/1 (Karunaratne 118, Thirimanne 131*, Oshada Fernando 40*, Shoriful Islam 1/52)
WI vs SL | 2nd Test: Karunaratne, Thirimanne keep Windies at bay; Test series ends without a result
Sri Lankan openers showed grit and determination to stop West Indies from claiming 10 wickets on the last day and seal the series. The pair of experienced batsmen Lahiru Thirimanne and skipper Dimuth Karunaratne set out a plan and churned out an invaluable partnership to lower the morale of Kraigg Brathwaite’s men who felt that they were on top at the end of day four. The opening wicket added 101 runs and delayed any prospect of a breakthrough by the 39th over. Even when Thirimanne was caught brilliantly at the slips by Rakheem Cornwall off Alzarri Joseph, the Sri Lankans didn’t let the pressure build as the new man in Oshada Fernando kept rotating the strikes after blocking balls en masse. By the time the skipper was dismissed by Kyle Mayers, Sri Lanka had consolidated their position, scoring just 146 in the chase of 377, but essentially blocking out almost 56 overs off the 80 that they were supposed to play (minus the extra hour of play). The pitch too played its part in confirmation of the draw as it did not break and remained a good slow batting track. Coupled with the inclement weather and injury to Shanon Gabriel, the Windies were unable to push on with the attack and Dinesh Chandimal and Oshada remained unbeaten at 10 and 66 respectively to see the islanders to a comfortable draw. Earlier Windies were late at declaring their second innings at 280-4 and with rain disturbing the match throughout, the Sri Lankans, even after getting out for 258 in the first innings in response to Windies’ 354, were able to save the game and draw the series. Brathwaite, who scored a century in the first innings and 85 in the second was adjudged Man of the Match. Suranga Lakmal, who is on a path to rediscover himself with fierce fast bowling was adjudged Man of the Series for taking 11 crucial wickets at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in Antigua.