Bangladesh on top after fightback against Sri Lanka
Visitors Bangladesh hold the upper hand at the end of the fourth day of the series-opening Test against Sri Lanka, reaching 3-177 in their second innings to lead by 187 runs.
With seven wickets in the hutch and the pitch beginning to show signs of wear and tear, the tourists will fancy their chances of pulling off a rare Test victory overseas and pocketing some precious World Test Championship points in the process.
Having eked out a slender first-innings lead of 10 runs, Bangladesh batted with the sort of positive intent on Friday that suggests they were not content to merely survive.
Shadman Islam set the tone, first putting on 24 for the opening wicket with Anamul Haque and then 36 more with Mominul Haque.
But it was his third-wicket partnership — a sturdy 68-run stand with captain Najmul Hossain Shanto — that truly swung momentum Bangladesh's way.
Shadman's knock of 76 was fashioned with composure and clarity, the left-hander repelling spin and pace alike with soft hands and a watchful eye. He looked set for three figures before Milan Rathnayake trapped him in front, but by then the groundwork had been laid.
Mushfiqur Rahim together with his skipper — both centurions in the first innings — steadied the ship and nudged the lead beyond 150, blunting Sri Lanka's hopes of a late-evening flurry.
Earlier in the day, it was off-spinner Nayeem Hasan who turned the tide for the tourists in Sri Lanka's first innings.
With the hosts perched on a commanding 6-470 and threatening to surge ahead, Nayeem swooped in.
His five-wicket haul — his fourth in Test cricket — helped bowl Sri Lanka out for 485, a lead of merely 10.
The prized wicket was Kamindu Mendis, who was coasting on 87 — scarcely playing a false stroke — when Nayeem found extra bounce and subtle turn to kiss the outside edge, Litton Das gobbling up the catch with glee.
"My variation was the key," Nayeem said. "Main thing is I tried to bowl at one area and keep changing the seam position. When you do that over a long period of time, your discipline pays off."
Hasan Mahmud proved a perfect foil, bowling with control and reverse swing under the afternoon sun, finishing with three wickets and keeping the pressure on from the other end.
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The Advertiser
4 hours ago
- The Advertiser
Bangladesh on top after fightback against Sri Lanka
Visitors Bangladesh hold the upper hand at the end of the fourth day of the series-opening Test against Sri Lanka, reaching 3-177 in their second innings to lead by 187 runs. With seven wickets in the hutch and the pitch beginning to show signs of wear and tear, the tourists will fancy their chances of pulling off a rare Test victory overseas and pocketing some precious World Test Championship points in the process. Having eked out a slender first-innings lead of 10 runs, Bangladesh batted with the sort of positive intent on Friday that suggests they were not content to merely survive. Shadman Islam set the tone, first putting on 24 for the opening wicket with Anamul Haque and then 36 more with Mominul Haque. But it was his third-wicket partnership — a sturdy 68-run stand with captain Najmul Hossain Shanto — that truly swung momentum Bangladesh's way. Shadman's knock of 76 was fashioned with composure and clarity, the left-hander repelling spin and pace alike with soft hands and a watchful eye. He looked set for three figures before Milan Rathnayake trapped him in front, but by then the groundwork had been laid. Mushfiqur Rahim together with his skipper — both centurions in the first innings — steadied the ship and nudged the lead beyond 150, blunting Sri Lanka's hopes of a late-evening flurry. Earlier in the day, it was off-spinner Nayeem Hasan who turned the tide for the tourists in Sri Lanka's first innings. With the hosts perched on a commanding 6-470 and threatening to surge ahead, Nayeem swooped in. His five-wicket haul — his fourth in Test cricket — helped bowl Sri Lanka out for 485, a lead of merely 10. The prized wicket was Kamindu Mendis, who was coasting on 87 — scarcely playing a false stroke — when Nayeem found extra bounce and subtle turn to kiss the outside edge, Litton Das gobbling up the catch with glee. "My variation was the key," Nayeem said. "Main thing is I tried to bowl at one area and keep changing the seam position. When you do that over a long period of time, your discipline pays off." Hasan Mahmud proved a perfect foil, bowling with control and reverse swing under the afternoon sun, finishing with three wickets and keeping the pressure on from the other end. Visitors Bangladesh hold the upper hand at the end of the fourth day of the series-opening Test against Sri Lanka, reaching 3-177 in their second innings to lead by 187 runs. With seven wickets in the hutch and the pitch beginning to show signs of wear and tear, the tourists will fancy their chances of pulling off a rare Test victory overseas and pocketing some precious World Test Championship points in the process. Having eked out a slender first-innings lead of 10 runs, Bangladesh batted with the sort of positive intent on Friday that suggests they were not content to merely survive. Shadman Islam set the tone, first putting on 24 for the opening wicket with Anamul Haque and then 36 more with Mominul Haque. But it was his third-wicket partnership — a sturdy 68-run stand with captain Najmul Hossain Shanto — that truly swung momentum Bangladesh's way. Shadman's knock of 76 was fashioned with composure and clarity, the left-hander repelling spin and pace alike with soft hands and a watchful eye. He looked set for three figures before Milan Rathnayake trapped him in front, but by then the groundwork had been laid. Mushfiqur Rahim together with his skipper — both centurions in the first innings — steadied the ship and nudged the lead beyond 150, blunting Sri Lanka's hopes of a late-evening flurry. Earlier in the day, it was off-spinner Nayeem Hasan who turned the tide for the tourists in Sri Lanka's first innings. With the hosts perched on a commanding 6-470 and threatening to surge ahead, Nayeem swooped in. His five-wicket haul — his fourth in Test cricket — helped bowl Sri Lanka out for 485, a lead of merely 10. The prized wicket was Kamindu Mendis, who was coasting on 87 — scarcely playing a false stroke — when Nayeem found extra bounce and subtle turn to kiss the outside edge, Litton Das gobbling up the catch with glee. "My variation was the key," Nayeem said. "Main thing is I tried to bowl at one area and keep changing the seam position. When you do that over a long period of time, your discipline pays off." Hasan Mahmud proved a perfect foil, bowling with control and reverse swing under the afternoon sun, finishing with three wickets and keeping the pressure on from the other end. Visitors Bangladesh hold the upper hand at the end of the fourth day of the series-opening Test against Sri Lanka, reaching 3-177 in their second innings to lead by 187 runs. With seven wickets in the hutch and the pitch beginning to show signs of wear and tear, the tourists will fancy their chances of pulling off a rare Test victory overseas and pocketing some precious World Test Championship points in the process. Having eked out a slender first-innings lead of 10 runs, Bangladesh batted with the sort of positive intent on Friday that suggests they were not content to merely survive. Shadman Islam set the tone, first putting on 24 for the opening wicket with Anamul Haque and then 36 more with Mominul Haque. But it was his third-wicket partnership — a sturdy 68-run stand with captain Najmul Hossain Shanto — that truly swung momentum Bangladesh's way. Shadman's knock of 76 was fashioned with composure and clarity, the left-hander repelling spin and pace alike with soft hands and a watchful eye. He looked set for three figures before Milan Rathnayake trapped him in front, but by then the groundwork had been laid. Mushfiqur Rahim together with his skipper — both centurions in the first innings — steadied the ship and nudged the lead beyond 150, blunting Sri Lanka's hopes of a late-evening flurry. Earlier in the day, it was off-spinner Nayeem Hasan who turned the tide for the tourists in Sri Lanka's first innings. With the hosts perched on a commanding 6-470 and threatening to surge ahead, Nayeem swooped in. His five-wicket haul — his fourth in Test cricket — helped bowl Sri Lanka out for 485, a lead of merely 10. The prized wicket was Kamindu Mendis, who was coasting on 87 — scarcely playing a false stroke — when Nayeem found extra bounce and subtle turn to kiss the outside edge, Litton Das gobbling up the catch with glee. "My variation was the key," Nayeem said. "Main thing is I tried to bowl at one area and keep changing the seam position. When you do that over a long period of time, your discipline pays off." Hasan Mahmud proved a perfect foil, bowling with control and reverse swing under the afternoon sun, finishing with three wickets and keeping the pressure on from the other end.
Perth Now
7 hours ago
- Perth Now
Bangladesh on top after fightback against Sri Lanka
Visitors Bangladesh hold the upper hand at the end of the fourth day of the series-opening Test against Sri Lanka, reaching 3-177 in their second innings to lead by 187 runs. With seven wickets in the hutch and the pitch beginning to show signs of wear and tear, the tourists will fancy their chances of pulling off a rare Test victory overseas and pocketing some precious World Test Championship points in the process. Having eked out a slender first-innings lead of 10 runs, Bangladesh batted with the sort of positive intent on Friday that suggests they were not content to merely survive. Shadman Islam set the tone, first putting on 24 for the opening wicket with Anamul Haque and then 36 more with Mominul Haque. But it was his third-wicket partnership — a sturdy 68-run stand with captain Najmul Hossain Shanto — that truly swung momentum Bangladesh's way. Shadman's knock of 76 was fashioned with composure and clarity, the left-hander repelling spin and pace alike with soft hands and a watchful eye. He looked set for three figures before Milan Rathnayake trapped him in front, but by then the groundwork had been laid. Mushfiqur Rahim together with his skipper — both centurions in the first innings — steadied the ship and nudged the lead beyond 150, blunting Sri Lanka's hopes of a late-evening flurry. Earlier in the day, it was off-spinner Nayeem Hasan who turned the tide for the tourists in Sri Lanka's first innings. With the hosts perched on a commanding 6-470 and threatening to surge ahead, Nayeem swooped in. His five-wicket haul — his fourth in Test cricket — helped bowl Sri Lanka out for 485, a lead of merely 10. The prized wicket was Kamindu Mendis, who was coasting on 87 — scarcely playing a false stroke — when Nayeem found extra bounce and subtle turn to kiss the outside edge, Litton Das gobbling up the catch with glee. "My variation was the key," Nayeem said. "Main thing is I tried to bowl at one area and keep changing the seam position. When you do that over a long period of time, your discipline pays off." Hasan Mahmud proved a perfect foil, bowling with control and reverse swing under the afternoon sun, finishing with three wickets and keeping the pressure on from the other end.
The Age
16 hours ago
- The Age
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Konstas has already toured Sri Lanka and the UK with the Test squad and is ready for another chance. He will want to make an irresistible case before the Shield season. The Smith (and Labuschagne) headache Smith won't feature in the opening Test in Barbados due to an injured finger but remains a chance to return for the second match in Grenada. Australia will have their first proper training session on Saturday in Barbados. That leaves a hole at No.4, Smith's preferred spot, which Cameron Green could easily fill given he scored a century against New Zealand in that position. Labuschagne, whose Test average still sits north of 46, had not made a century in his last 30 Test innings. He would have known his chance of staying in the team were slim. Not even Smith's absence was able to buy Labuschagne one more match. His best chance of a Test recall will be through a mountain of runs in the Sheffield Shield for Queensland. 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Hazlewood's red-ball record is outstanding, but match figures of 1-85 at Lord's were not what he would have been hoping for. Boland, meanwhile, hasn't quite replicated his home form overseas – he averages 132.5 with the ball outside of Australia – but offers precision and patience, which could be useful on flat Caribbean pitches that reward accuracy over pace. Hazlewood is likely to get the nod. Meanwhile, Mitchell Starc is in line to play his 100th Test in the third match of the series in Kingston, Jamaica. But if he were to sit out a game for whatever reason, bringing up his 100th Test in the opening Ashes Test on home soil would be fitting for the stalwart of this Australian side. How strong will the West Indies be? Due to scheduling and COVID-19, Australia haven't played a Test in the West Indies since 2015. The XI for the second and final Test of that series in Kingston was: Warner, Shaun Marsh, Smith, Michael Clarke (c), Adam Voges, Shane Watson, Brad Haddin and Mitchell Johnson, plus the trio of Starc, Hazlewood and Lyon. Since then, the West Indies have won 21 of 76 Tests. At home, their record is slightly better (32 per cent), but still inconsistent. The West Indies did win the last Test they played against Australia at the Gabba in early 2024, thanks to a career-defining bowling performance from Shamar Joseph. Just the one win from nine Tests since then – it came against Bangladesh – doesn't leave a lot of hope for the locals. Loading Even so, this isn't a series the visitors can afford to take lightly. The West Indies will see the initial absence of Smith, uncertainty at the top of the order, and potential experimentation with the ball as an opportunity to land a surprise win or two. All eyes on England vs India Overshadowing Australia's Caribbean tour, at least from a global perspective, is the five-Test blockbuster between England and India, which begins on Friday at Headingley. Australia will certainly be keeping one eye on the series given their next Test opponent is England in November.
