Bangladesh’s Mahmudullah eyes maiden series win over Sri Lanka

Dhaka (AFP): Acting Bangladesh captain Mahmudullah Riyad said yesterday that his team was confident of getting its first-ever Test series win over Sri Lanka after eking out a dogged draw in the opener. 

The decider starts today in Dhaka’s Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium and follows a controversial drawn first Test in Chittagong that drew censure from cricket’s governing body. 

The hosts managed a draw despite Sri Lanka leaving them in a precarious position at 81-3 at stumps on the fourth day. 

The visitors -- who declared at a colossal 713 for nine in their first and only innings -- criticised the pitch after the match. 

Mahmudullah, who is standing in for injured skipper Shakib Al Hasan, said Bangladesh played better at home and were confident of clinching a historic series win in Dhaka. 

“We got out of a tough position in the first match. So this game is a great chance for us to win a Test series,” he told reporters. “I think our team is better, especially at home. It will be a good contest, which was mostly the case in Chittagong.” 

Bangladesh have not won a Test series since beating Zimbabwe 3-0 at home in 2014 and have defeated Sri Lanka just once in their last 19 contests in the longest form of the game. 

Mahmudullah said the Dhaka pitch was “result-oriented” and would favour spinners -- conditions absent in the run spree at Chittagong. 

The International Cricket Council penalised the “below average” pitch in Chittagong for providing no seam movement to fast bowlers and too heavily favouring the batters. Batsmen plundered more than 1,500 runs over five days -- including five centuries and six half-centuries. 

Sri Lanka captain Dinesh Chandimal said Bangladesh would be tough to beat at home on a spinning track, but they had experienced players to deal with the conditions. 

“When you look at this pitch, definitely there will be a result. The pitch looks dry. Spinners will definitely come into play. It is challenging for both teams,” Chandimal said. “They are really good, especially (on) their home soil. They have performed well here. We never underestimate them, they are playing really good cricket. We have more experienced players in our Test side compared to the ODI side. It is still challenging to us but we have some game plans according to the conditions and their players. We need to execute that well.” 

Sri Lanka pick Asitha Fernando for T20 series, 35-year old Jeevan Mendis returns

ESPNCricinfo: The first T20 squad of Chandika Hathurusingha’s tenure features a preponderance of youth. Seam bowlers Asitha Fernando and Shehan Madushanka (20 and 22 respectively), inexperienced spinners Jeffrey Vandersay and Amila Aponso, and seam-bowling allrounder Dasun Shanaka, all feature for the two-match series.

One old hand did return, however. Three years after he played his last international, leg-spinning allrounder Jeevan Mendis, 35, made his way back into a Sri Lanka squad. Though his recall was unexpected, he has nevertheless been in good bowling form for Tamil Union Cricket Club in the ongoing Premier League first-class tournament. In the continued absence of Angelo Mathews, the team will be led by Dinesh Chandimal, who himself has not played a T20 in over a year. Thisara Perera was in the squad, but was overlooked for the captaincy.

The two T20 matches are slated for 15 and 18 February following a two-match Test series. 

T20 squad: Dinesh Chandimal (captain), Upul Tharanga, Danushka Gunathilaka, Kusal Perera, Thisara Perera, Asela Gunaratne, Niroshan Dickwella, Dasun Shanaka, Isuru Udana, Shehan Madushanka, Jeffrey Vandersay, Akila Dananjaya, Amila Aponso, Jeevan Mendis, Asitha Fernando

ICC criticises Bangladesh Test pitch after run spree

Dhaka (AFP): The International Cricket Council on Tuesday penalised the “below average” pitch in Chittagong after batsmen plundered more than 1,500 runs during last week’s Test between Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. 

Five centuries and six half-centuries were smashed over five days at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium before the teams accepted a draw in the opening Test of the two-match series.  Sri Lanka – who declared at a colossal 713 for nine in their first and only innings – criticised the pitch after the match. 

ICC match referee David Boon said the pitch “provided no seam movement to the fast bowlers with the new ball and also lacked carry and bounce throughout the match.” He added that the pitch provided “occasional slow turn for the spinners early on” but did not deteriorate as expected over the course of the Test. 

That resulted “in a pitch that too heavily favoured the batsmen across the five days,” Boon said in an ICC statement issued Tuesday. 

Cricket’s governing body gave one demerit point to the Chittagong pitch, rating it “below average.” 

Any ground that receives five demerits from the ICC over five years is suspended from hosting international cricket for a year. Chittagong is the second Bangladeshi venue to be rebuked in just half a year. 

In September, the ICC rated the outfield of Dhaka’s Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium “poor” after the hosts defeated Australia by 20 runs in a Test match.