1st Test: Sri Lanka toil as Mominul ton powers Bangladesh to 374/4 on Day 1

File photo of Bangladesh batsman Mominul Haque

Chittagong: Mominul Haque hit a towering century to help Bangladesh take opening day honours in the first Test against Sri Lanka in Chittagong on Wednesday. He hit an unbeaten 175 as the hosts reached 374/4 at stumps after electing to bat first at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium.

The left-hander shared a 236-run third-wicket stand with former captain Mushfiqur Rahim, who fell just short of his fifth Test hundred after scoring 92 off 192 balls. Skipper Mahmudullah Riyad, on nine, was batting alongside Mominul when stumps were drawn at the start of the two-match series.

Suranga Lakmal struck with the second new ball to claim two wickets off successive deliveries and give Sri Lanka some respite late into the final session. Lakmal, who returned figures of 2/43, forced Mushfiqur to edge behind the stumps after the batsman had struck 10 fours in his relatively sedate innings.

The medium-pacer bowled Liton Das for a duck with the next ball, which swung late to uproot the off-stump after the batsman had attempted to leave the delivery.

Mominul was dominant at the other end, hitting 16 fours and a six off veteran spinner Rangana Herath during his stay, which has lasted 203 balls so far. The 26-year-old posted his fifth Test century and his first in more than three years off just 96 balls, with back-to-back fours off left-arm wrist spinner Lakshan Sandakan.

He then edged Herath for four to reach 160 and bring up his 2,000 Test runs in his 47th innings. Mominul was the fastest Bangladeshi to achieve the feat, overtaking Tamim Iqbal`s record of 53 innings.

His authoritative batting came at his favourite ground after Bangladesh had lost both openers, Tamim and Imrul Kayes, in the morning session despite starting strongly.

Tamim made 52 off 53 balls and shared a 72-run opening stand with Kayes (40). Off-spinner Dilruwan Perera bowled Tamim with a beautiful delivery that pitched outside off-stump and spun sharply to beat the batsman and clip the bails.

Tamim struck six fours, and a sweetly timed six off Perera over long-on, in his 25th Test fifty.

Sandakan trapped Kayes leg-before on the stroke of lunch, ending the left-hander`s 75-ball stay.