The Albany Gazette - Rajitha takes five as Sri Lanka fight back in Bangladesh Test

Bangladesh reached 361 for nine at lunch in Dhaka with number 11 Ebadot Hossain surviving 16 deliveries without scoring.

Bangladesh lost four wickets for 53 during the session to slip to 349-9 at one stage from their overnight 277-5.

Rajitha struck twice in the eighth over, including sending back Liton Das for 141 and breaking his 272-run sixth-wicket stand with Mushfiqur, the pair having rescued Bangladesh from a perilous 24-5 on the first morning.

Kusal Mendis, who had been taken to hospital on the opening day under extreme heat, took the catch at second slip as Liton departed after hitting 16 fours and six in his 246-ball innings.

Rajitha took his fifth wicket three balls later, forcing Mosaddek Hossain to edge behind for a duck in his first Test in more than two years.

Mushfiqur, who started the day on 115, took charge and played some extravagant shots, including reverse and conventional sweeps off Ramesh Mendis for successive boundaries on his way to 150.

It was the fifth time Mushfiqur had reached the 150-run mark in Tests and he has gone on to make three double centuries.

He added 49 runs with Taijul Islam for the eighth wicket before Sri Lanka struck again as Asitha Fernando bagged his third victim of the innings with Khaled Ahmed soon becoming the fourth without scoring.

Mushfiqur and Ebadot then survived nearly six overs in an extended morning session.

(Y.Berger--BBZ)