Mominul guides Bangladesh to draw with record ton

CHITTAGONG, Bangladesh: Mominul Haque became the first player from Bangladesh to score a century in both innings of a Test as he steered his side to a draw in the opening match against Sri Lanka on Sunday.

Mominul, who made 176 in the first innings, hit 105 off 174 balls to help Bangladesh reach 307-5 before the teams accepted the draw with an hour’s play left on the fifth and final day in Chittagong.

Skipper Mahmudullah was at the crease on 28 not out alongside Mosaddek Hossain (8 not out) when the stumps were drawn at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium.

Sri Lanka held a 200-run first innings lead after declaring on a mammoth 713-9 in reply to Bangladesh’s 513.

“I would put my second century ahead of the first one because it helped us save the game,” Mominul said.The visitors fancied their chances for a victory when veteran spinner Rangana Herath picked up the crucial wicket of Mushfiqur Rahim off the last ball on the fourth day.

But Mominul, 18 not out overnight, and Liton Das, who fell just six runs short of his maiden Test century, shared a crucial 180-run stand for the fourth wicket to frustrate the Sri Lankan bowlers.

It was Dhananjaya de Silva who broke their partnership, dismissing Mominul shortly after the left-hander scored his second century of the game with a single off Lakshan Sandakan.Dimuth Karunaratne took the catch at slip to bring the curtains down on a fine innings, featuring five fours and two sixes.Mominul overtook Tamim Iqbal’s aggregate of 231 runs against Pakistan in Khulna in 2015. Herath finished with 2-80 for Sri Lanka.

Bangladesh won toss

Bangladesh 1st Innings 513 all-out (Mominul 176; R Lakmal 3-68)

Sri Lanka 1st Innings 713 dec (B Mendis 196, de Silva 173; Taijul 4-219)

Bangladesh 2nd Innings

Tamim Iqbal c Dickwella b Sandakan 41

Imrul Kayes c Chandimal b Perera 19

Mominul Haque c Karunaratne b de Silva 105

Mushfiqur Rahim c Mendis b Herath 2

†Liton Das c Perera b Herath 94

*Mahmudullah not out 28

Mosaddek Hossain not out 8

Extras (b 3, lb 2, nb 4, w 1) 10

Total (5 wickets; 100 Overs) 307

Did not bat: Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Taijul Islam, Sunzamul Islam, Mustafizur Rahman

Fall: 1-52, 2-76, 3-81, 4-261, 5-279

Bowling: Herath 28-6-80-2; Lakmal 9-1-25-0; de Silva 12-0-41-1; Perera 26-5-74-1; Sandakan 18-2-64-1; Kumara 6-0-16-0; Mendis 1-0-2-0

Result: Match drawn

Series: 2-match series levelled by 0-0

Man of the Match: Mominul Haque (Bangladesh)

Test debut: Sunzamul Islam (Bangladesh)

Umpires: R Tucker (Austrlia) and M Erasmus (South Africa). TV Umpires: J Wilson (West Indies). Match Referee: D Boon (Australia)