Sri Lanka take lead, reaching 369-5 at lunch

A fine batting display of Angelo Mathews and Dinesh Chandimal kept Sri Lanka aloft over Bangladesh as they weathered the first innings deficit to take a 4-run lead at lunch on day four of the second and final cricket Test at Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium today.

Mathews closed in on his back-to-back Test century, remaining not out on 93 and Chandimal on 61 at the first interval of the day, sharing a 103-run partnership in an unbroken sixth wicket stand.

The day's play started 30 minutes earlier to make up for the lost time of the third day.

Resuming day on 282-5 and with a deficit of 83, Sri Lanka began in attacking mood with Chandimal hitting paceman Ebadot Hossain a boundary in the first over to make their intention clear.

Mathews who scored 199 in the first Test, also showed his penchant for quick runs, hitting Taijul Islam a six to start the day.

The Lankan senior batter who was dropped on 37 made Bangladesh pay heavily, scoring runs in an emphatic fashion to make the bowlers disarray. 

In a pretty disappointing session, Bangladesh created a chance to dismiss Chandimal on 43 when occasional spinner Mominul Haque spun one past his bat sharply but the batter reviewed successfully to overturn the decision.

Chandimal then raised his 22nd fifty from 118 deliveries, clipping a delivery of left-arm spinner Taijul Islam to mid-on for a single.
Bangladesh were dismissed for 365 in their first innings with Mushfiqur Rahim unbeaten on 175 and Liton Das scoring 141.

- BSS