Majestic Tigers make 638
Bangladesh bettered their highest Test score after being bowled out for 638 at tea on the fourth day of the first Test against Sri Lanka on Monday.
Bangladesh’s best previous best was 556 against West Indies in Dhaka last year. The total also was a record by any team at the Galle International Stadium.
They lead the home side by 68 runs. Nasir Hossain became the third century-maker of the innings.
Nasir, who had previously been out twice in the nervous nineties, made it third time lucky with a gentle dab through midwicket off Ajantha Mendis. However, he was out caught at mid-wicket off the bowling of Tillakaratne Dilshan.
During Nasir’s 151-ball knock he scored nine fours.
Dilshan also claimed the wicket of Elias Sunny who caught by the wicketkeeper for a duck. Shohag Gazi fell for a rapid 26-ball 21.
The highlight of the innings was Mushfiqur Rahim’s epic double hundred, the first by a Bangladeshi player in Test cricket.
The Tigers skipper reached the landmark just after lunch with a single through cover off the back foot off Nuwan Kulasekara’s first ball. But his joy was short-lived as he fell lbw for exactly 200 in the same over.
Mushfiqur faced 321 balls, hitting 22 fours and a six. He added 106 runs for the sixth wicket with Nasir.
At the lunch break, Mushfiqur became the country’s highest individual Test scorer as he finished unbeaten on 198 with the Tigers on 546-5.
The Bangladesh captain went through a few anxious moments in the final over before lunch as he tried to get to his double hundred and had a close call when a delivery from Shaminda Eranga rapped him on the pads prompting a stifled appeal.
Sri Lanka’s only success in the first session was claiming the wicket of Mohammad Ashraful for 190 after Bangladesh added six more runs to their overnight 438-4.
Resuming on 189, Ashraful’s mammoth 417-ball knock ended when he tried to hit Rangana Herath over his head but he mistimed it and the edge went straight to Angelo Mathews in first slip.
He struck 20 fours and a six and put on a record 267 runs for any wicket with Mushfiqur.
Majestic Tigers make 638 - bdnews24.com
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