Bangladesh fight back with resolute batting

CHITTAGONG: Bangladesh´s Shamsur Rahman and Imrul Kayes hit half centuries to lift the hosts to 201-1 at lunch on the third day of the second test against Sri Lanka on Thursday.

Bangladesh resumed the day on 86-1, and while it made good progress in the opening session, it was still a long way short of even avoiding the follow-on after Sri Lanka scored 587 in its first innings, led by Kumar Sangakkara´s triple century.

Both Bangladesh batsmen were close to their maiden test centuries with Shamsur batting on 93 while Kayes on 91 at the interval.

It was Rahman´s first fifty in his just second test while Kayes — returning to the national team after two years — hit only his second half-century.

Rahman smashed nine fours and one six while Kayes hit 15 fours and one six. It was his highest test score, passing his previous best of 75.

Their unbroken 201-run stand broke the record for the previous best second-wicket partnership for Bangladesh, which was previously 200 set by Tamim Iqbal and Zunaed Siddique against India in 2010.

It was the only third partnership over 200 runs for Bangladesh in test cricket.

The visitors´ bowlers were erratic and made the task easy for the batsmen. There was some turn and bounce offer for the spinners but yet the Sri Lanka bowlers could not produce a breakthrough. (AP)