Bangladesh got a blow despite having a good day one of their 100th Test at P Sara Oval Stadium in Colombo as the batsman Imrul Kayes got injured once again.
Kayes, who became the part of the memorable Test at the expense of Mominul Haque, right after returning from the thigh muscle injury which kept him out of the second Test in New Zealand and Bangladesh’s maiden Test at Indian soil.
He suffered the injury at his toe in the 70th overs of the day when a sweep shot from Rangana Herath off Shakib Al Hasan hit him while he was fielding at the short leg region. The TV replay showed it hit him really and the place was swelling.
However report from Sri Lanka confirmed that the Bangladesh team management was hoping that the swell would be reduced on day two and Kayes will be fit to bat.
Though the P Sara Stadium’s record showed the team bat first won the match most of the time here, Bangladesh bowlers excelled on their landmark Test excellently. Before the bad light brought a premature end to the day, Bangladesh reduced Sri Lanka to 238 for seven.
Sri Lanka at one phase was 196 for seven before Rangana Herath joined stubborn Dinesh Chandimal to stop the rot. They negotiated the bowlers in a supremely bowling-friendly condition to share a crucial 42 runs partnership.
Chandimal was batting on 86 after he survived on a vide review twice to overturn the original decision of umpires. Herath was on 18.
The stand-in captain Herath has looked increasingly comfortable and he has thrived on the sweep for most parts of his innings. This partnership was an irritant for the visitors, who would be hoping to use the early morning moisture to nip out the last three wickets.
Such have been the nature of matches here at the P Sara that negating the first innings becomes extremely vital, and Bangladesh will need each of their batsmen to put a price on their wickets if they are to do that. In that case a fit Kayes is badly needed for Bangladesh when they will be batting on day two.