Nayeem puts hosts on top
After a decent start on the opening day of the first four-dayer, the Bangladesh High Performance (HP) team continued their good showing as they ended the second day in a strong position against their Sri Lankan counterparts at the Sheikh Abu Naser Stadium in Khulna yesterday.
While it was Nazmul Hossain Shanto who hogged the spotlight with a magnificent unbeaten century on Day One, it was off-spinner Nayeem Hasan who shone yesterday. Nayeem returned figures of four for 31, scalping all four wickets that fell on the day after scoring a vital 72-ball 36 with the bat earlier.
Starting the day on 233 for four, Bangladesh HP lost centurion Nazmul (133 off 269) and Mahidul Islam early, leaving the score at 262 for six. However, Nayeem then strung an important 58-run seventh-wicket stand with Zakir Hasan to restore stability and help Bangladesh HP post a commendable 360-run total.
Nayeem then carried on his impressive display with ball in hand. He dismantled the Sri Lanka HP top order, starting with the wicket of Padhun Nissanka in the sixth over. Nayeem’s exploits almost had Sri Lanka HP cornered as they were left reeling on 59 for four in 17.4 overs. However, the visitors started to repair the damage through an unbeaten 42-run fifth-wicket stand between Promod Maduwantha and Ashen Bandara, who took the visitors to 101 for four in 38 overs at the close.
