Six batters hit half centuries as Sri Lanka reach 531

Sri Lanka made a record 531 runs in their first innings of the second Test against Bangladesh yesterday but Kamindu Mendis narrowly missed scoring a third century in consecutive Test innings.Sri Lanka’s total on the second day in Chittagong was the highest scored in Tests without any batsman reaching a century – improving on India’s 524-9 against New Zealand at Kanpur in 1976.Bangladesh reached 55-1 at stumps, trailing Sri Lanka by 476 runs.Opener Zakir Hasan was unbeaten on 28 alongside nightwatchman Taijul Islam after Lahiru Kumara bowled Mahmudul Hasan Joy for 21.Mendis was 92 not out when last man Asitha Fernando was run out for a duck, eight runs short of what would have made him only the fourth Sri Lankan to score three centuries in consecutive innings.The right-hander, who scored 102 and 164 in the first Test, struck Taijul for two sixes in an over to come close to the feat.However, Fernando fell short of his crease in a desperate attempt to change the strike.Mendis had no regrets about missing out on his ton."I think it happens in cricket that someone can get a big hundred, someone can’t,” he said."We put a 500-plus total onto the board, I think we fulfilled our plan,” he added.Bangladesh batting coach David Hemp was hopeful his charges would put on a similar display."It looks like a pretty good pitch seeing the way we played or the boundaries we hit,” Hemp said.Apart from Mendis, who was playing only his third Test, five other Sri Lanka batsmen passed the half-century mark: Dhananjaya de Silva (70), Dinesh Chandimal (59), Kusal Mendis (93), Dimuth Karunaratne (86) and Nishan Madhushka (57).Shakib Al Hasan finished with 3-110 as Sri Lanka made Bangladesh toil for nearly two days after electing to bat first. Sri Lanka began the second day on 314-4.De Silva, who scored 102 and 108 in the first Test, also raised the prospect of scoring three centuries on the trot before he was dismissed in the post-lunch session.Chandimal was the only batsman to be dismissed in the first session, edging Shakib behind the stumps after making 59 runs.Khaled Ahmed then trapped de Silva leg before in the first over after the lunch break.The right-arm medium-pacer could have taken another wicket in his next over if Prabath Jayasuriya was not comically dropped by three slip fielders on six.Mendis was declared caught behind on 35 off Mehidy Hasan Miraz but the decision was reversed after review.Shakib hit Jayasuriya plumb in front to end his 65-run seventh wicket stand with Mendis, who was dropped by Hasan Mahmud on 60 at deep square leg.Sri Lanka, who have never lost a Test series to Bangladesh, won the first Test in Sylhet by 328 runs.