Saturday 27 / April / 2024
Sylhet: Sri Lanka skipper Dhananjaya de Silva expressed his delight over the performance of the pace trio in the first Test against Bangladesh.
After 38 years, Sri Lanka's pacers claimed all 20 wickets in a Test match. The last time Sri Lanka managed to do so was in Colombo in 1986, when Ashantha de Mel, Ravi Ratnayeke and Kosala Kuruppuarachchi snared all 20 wickets against Pakistan.
The present pace trio of Vishwa Fernando, Lahiru Kumara and Kasun Rajitha replicated the feat at the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium to maintain Sri Lanka's impeccable Test record on Bangladeshi soil.
"When we saw, it looked like a fast-bowling wicket, [so] we went with three seamers. It paid off at the end of the day. The game is going on day by day, so the wicket was dying. The pace was getting less for the fast bowlers. I am very happy with the way they bowled in this game," Dhananjaya said after the win as quoted from ESPNcricinfo.
"We play with three seamers back at home [too]. I think if you can get the new ball moving on any wicket, that's [going to provide] the wicket-taking options for the captain. Rather than going with the spinners, I am happy with to go with the fast bowlers," he added.
While the pacers lived up to the hype and stole the show with their fierce spells, Dhananjaya and Kamindu Mendis stole the show, with the bats scoring a ton each in both innings.
Dhananjaya heaped praise on Kamindu for the patience he displayed to get into the national team.
"What I'm really happy with regard to Kamindu is how he's come back. He was knocking on the door of the national side for quite some time, and I think he's made the most of the opportunity he's been given. Also, the No. 7 slot is somewhere I've batted in before as well, so I think that role suits him. His technique is solid; he has power, [and] he is very smart. So I don't think we made a mistake in picking him," he added.
Coming to Day 4 action, Mominul Haque throughout the day showed grit and put up a stern fight against Sri Lanka's deadly bowling line-up.
His composure with the bat kept the Sri Lankan bowlers at bay and helped Bangladesh get past the first session. But wickets kept tumbling at the other end, which restricted Bangladesh to a score of 182 and inflicted a 328-run defeat in the first Test.
