After conceeding 495 to Bangladesh in the first innings, Sri Lanka displayed their batting prowess by ending day 3 on 368 for 4 wickets in 92 overs scoring at a run rate of 4 runs per over , still trailing by 127 runs with 6 wickets in the bank.
Pathum Nissanka was a sensation as he displayed his rapatua of strokes to all parts of the Galle stadium with a career best 187 , which included 23 boundaries and a chip over the cow corner for a glorious six.
The right-hand opener was a class far beyond compare. He richly deserved a double hundred, but the best ball of the entire 92 overs bowled by Bangladesh , that, too, with the second new ball that dipped in from a back of a length delivery from seamer Hosain Mohd castled the timber and the body language of the Bangladesh fielders clearly displayed their sigh of relief to see the back of our star of the day.
Isuru Udara, who made 29 , will kick himself for getting caught to a well set trap by Taijul Islam , who got him to spoon a leg stump delivery and had him caught and bowled with Sri Lanka on 47.
Dinesh Chandimal batting at number 3 played the supporting role in guiding Pathum Nissanka by playing second fiddle because Pathum was scoring at knotts playing risk-free cricket and importantly playing the bowling on merit.
Chandimal on 54 , guess had a brain block, because with the Sri Lankan score on 204 for 1 wicket , Bangladesh spin twins Islam and Nayeen Hassan started to block the run flow, and Chandimal in the run of play , was caught at leg slip playing a nothing stroke before the tea break, thus giving the right arm spinner Nayeen Hassan his only scalp for the day.
Chandimal and Pathum Nissanka looked dangerous in their 154-run partnership for the 2nd wicket. Angelo Mathews was welcomed to the batting pitch with warm applause from the Bangladesh players, giving the legend a wonderful honour since it was his last test. Spirit of Cricket at its best period.
Sadly for Angie, as he is fondly known and be remembered, he made 39 but was dismissed by part left arm spin of Monimul Haq. Monimul will carry back a memorabilia not in the form of a silver ware but in the form of the red cherry with his name on it , for bagging the scalp of the great man Angelo Mathews in his final test.
Sri Lanka ended day three on 368 for 4 wickets with Kamindu Mendis unbeaten on 37 and Dhananjaya de Silva on 17.
Sri Lanka still trails by 127 runs , and the road looks winding and long because the Bangladesh bowlers have relatively a new cherry to bowl with, and day 4 for batting can be tricky.
Sri Lanka, obviously, is the happier team at close of play with 6 wickets in hand, but they are not out of the woods for sure.
Either Dhananjaya or Kamindu Mendis, alongside Kusal Mendis, still padded up, need to bat very deep. Sri Lanka, given the circumstances, will look for a lead of at least 150 runs to put pressure on Bangladesh because day 5 on this pitch can spit and spin.
Bangladesh fast bowler Nahid Rana bowled with a big heart. He hit the 140 to 145 mark consistently throughout his 16 over spell. The tall, lanky lad is just 21 years old , he will be lethal when he gets older, he must be nurtured with great care, what a potential for the Bangladesh seam cordon.