The pair added 226 runs for their unbroken third-wicket stand, having batted together for 79.3 overs
Bangladesh 378 for 2 (Shanto 155*, Mominul 107*, Fernando 2-75) vs Sri Lanka
Bangladesh completed four achievements by lunch on the second day against Sri Lanka. They moved to 378 for 2 in an otherwise circumspect session in which they added 76 runs. But this was part of their plan all along.
On the way, their captain Mominul Haque reached his first overseas hundred, his eleventh overall and his fourth against Sri Lanka. Najmul Hossain Shanto became only the second batter from the team to cross 150 in his maiden Test century. The pair also added 226 runs for the unbroken third-wicket stand, having now batted together for 79.3 overs.
They blunted Sri Lanka’s bowling quite successfully, despite Suranga Lakmal and Vishwa Fernando giving away very little in their first spells of the day. They did limit the scoring but both Bangladesh batters were rather happy staying put, rather than pushing the scoring.
Haque broke free of his overseas frustration with a beautiful square-cut off Dhananjaya de Silva in the 21st over of the morning session. This was his slowest century having faced 224 balls; he struck nine fours.
Shortly afterwards, Shanto reached 150 with an outside edge as he attempted an inside-out shot against the same bowler. Haque’s 181, against New Zealand in 2013, is the highest score as maiden ton by a Bangladeshi.
The visitors had earlier reached 302 for 2 on the first day, with Shanto and Haque going to stumps taking their unbroken stand to 150 runs. It was a follow-up to the 144-run second-wicket stand between Shanto and Tamim Iqbal, who had blasted 90.
Mohammad Isam is ESPNcricinfo’s Bangladesh correspondent. @isam84
Source: ESPN Crickinfo