Seamers put Sri Lanka in control as Bangladesh chase 280 / Photo: © AFP
-
'Physical hell': Hong Kong hosts gruelling underwater hockey tournament
-
Indonesia fires burned over 1.9 mn hectares through September: monitor
-
Police 'lost control' during French protests, says interior minister
-
Asian tech stocks mixed after Wall St losses, eyes on earnings
-
Australia's new Ghost Shark submarines grow some 'teeth'
-
China's third-quarter growth narrowly beats forecasts
-
'I call it a bribe': Pennsylvania residents spurn $10,000 data center checks
-
Asian stocks start week on back foot, tracking tech-led Wall St losses
-
In a former US steel city, ordinary people struggle to get by
-
China growth narrowly beats forecasts
-
'Liar,' 'clown': Lula and Bolsonaro spar in Brazil poll debate
-
Faith and fury: Texas Senate rivals offer contrasting visions
-
Record El Nino? Depends who's counting
-
Women await justice for police killings in Brazil
-
On the front line of ocean conservation off Portugal's Madeira
-
The painstaking task of cataloguing the world's species
-
Wembanyama targets title breakthrough as NBA season tips off
-
Nations seek reset at UN talks as nature goals off track
-
With LeBron on board it's title or bust for Philly fans
-
Rubio seeks to strengthen US foothold in Central Asia
-
One year after Louvre heist, where are the missing jewels?
-
LeBron joins 76ers to chase one more NBA title at age 41
-
Knicks face tall task in NBA championship repeat bid
-
Rays one win from World Series return after downing Guardians
-
Warriors' Curry 'fine' after limping out of practice - Kerr
-
Kings' Ben Simmons tears Achilles in training
-
Zelensky speaks to US envoys as Trump lashes out
-
Lula, Bolsonaro set for first debate showdown in bitter election race
-
'Surprise package' Lazio crush Juve to keep pace with Serie A leaders Inter
-
Mbappe hits two as Real Madrid rout Sevilla
-
China growth expected to miss official target in third quarter
-
Browns edge Ravens for division lead, Texans beat Jags
-
Lazio crush Juventus to move level with Serie A leaders Inter
-
Lyon go top of Ligue 1 as Monaco fall to first defeat of the season
-
Leeds draw feels like 'fresh start' for Man Utd's Carrick
-
Venezuela opposition alliance reaffirms Nobel laureate Machado as leader
-
Macron denounces 'unbridled' violence as France hit by new clashes
-
'Street Fighter' wins N. America box office, buzzy doc stuns in 2nd
-
Hurzeler lauds 'hard worker' Gomez after Brighton goal from halfway line
-
NFL: Paris game to go ahead despite protests in France
-
Toulouse hold off Exeter, Northampton save English Champions Cup blushes
-
Arteta hails Arsenal 'finishers' after Madueke fells Forest
-
Arsenal snatch late win to keep pressure on Man City as Man Utd held
-
Trump backs ally Netanyahu ahead of Israel's tight election
-
Arsenal strike late to keep pressure on Man City as Man Utd held
-
Madueke strikes late as below-par Arsenal sink Forest
-
Four soldiers dead, dozens injured in fire at Canada military base
-
Second day of street clashes in Milan
-
Ton-up Agha helps Pakistan down Sri Lanka in tri-series opener
-
Dupont's Toulouse hold off Exeter as English Champions Cup woes continue
Seamers put Sri Lanka in control as Bangladesh chase 280
Dhananjaya de Silva and Kamindu Mendis both hit knocks of 102 to help Sri Lanka post 280 in their first innings before their seamers rattled Bangladesh on the opening day of the first Test in Sylhet on Friday.
Bangladesh finished the day 32-3, trailing Sri Lanka by 248 runs, with Vishwa Fernando and Kasun Rajitha striking early in the innings for the visitors.
Fernando trapped opener Zakir Hasan (nine) and Najmul Hossain (five) lbw with identical in-swinging deliveries, while Rajitha got Mominul Haque caught for five.
Opener Mahmudul Hasan survived the day on nine alongside Taijul Islam, who was yet to open scoring.
De Silva and Mendis fought back with their 202-run stand for the fifth wicket, helping Sri Lanka recover from a precarious 57-5 after a pace demolition of their top order.
Khaled Ahmed and Nahid Rana took three wickets apiece for Bangladesh, who opted to bowl first on a green surface.
De Silva and Kamindu asserted their dominance after lunch to help Sri Lanka rebuild a respectable innings.
Kamindu reached his maiden Test century off 126 balls with a four through the covers off Rana but fell on the next ball, edging a catch to Liton Das off Rana.
Skipper de Silva was soon to follow after trying and failing to hook Rana off a short ball, following a charging innings featuring 12 fours and a six.
Khaled gave Sri Lanka an early fright after seeing off the top order, forcing opener Nishan Madushka (2) to offer a catch to Mehidy Hasan at third slip at the end of the second over.
Dimuth Karunaratne and Kusal Mendis made 37 runs for the second wicket before Khaled struck again when Mendis knocked the pacer's delivery to Zakir Hasan at gully.
Mendis departed on 16, and Khaled bowled Karunaratne with an in-swinger in the same over for 17.
Najmul ran out Angelo Mathews for just five with a direct-hit to compound Sri Lanka's early woes.
Shoriful Islam joined the party when he removed Dinesh Chandimal for nine, with Mehidy grabbing his second catch of the morning down low at leg slip.
Sri Lanka have never lost a Test series to Bangladesh.
The second and final match of the series will be played in Chittagong from March 30.
H.Gerber--VB
