The New Nation - Internet Edition

UNB, Dhaka

Bangladesh spinner Shakib Al Hasan thinks they still have to fight hard to scalp all the 10 wickets of the Sri Lankan 1st innings although his inspired bowling put the visitors on back foot at the close of 1st day at the Mirpur Sher-e-Bangla national Stadium (SBNS) here Friday.

"Our first target (on the 2nd day) will be to pick up either of the wickets of (Thilan) Samaraweera and (Chaminda) Vaas early as Vaas doesn't bat badly. We'll have to fight hard to pick up all the 10 wickets," he said at a post-match briefing at the match venue today.

About his experience facing the press more frequently after putting up good performances, Shakib said: "Yes, my bowling has been good in the last two series against South Africa and New Zealand. I'm not putting any special effort; just continued my usual bowling as I did in the past. Besides, I am also getting more opportunity to bowl now."

An in-form Shakib, who took five wickets in an innings in both the tests against South Africa recently after notching his career best 7/36 against the Kiwis in Chittagong, believed that the day had been good overall his side.

He said: "It's not that the wicket produced more turns or I got more help from the wicket. Rather, our bowlers did well in the initial stage and they (SL) also committed some mistakes."

Shakib, the boy from Magura, also termed the wicket as sporting. "The wicket is sporting. Our pacers did well early in the innings, couple of their (SL) batsmen also scored runs," he said.

Shakib, also a dependable left-handed batsman, thinks that his strong feature in bowling is the ability to pitch the ball in the right areas. "Luck also (seemed) to favour me," he said.

The left-arm spinner told a questioner that he felt comfortable while bowling to the right-handers, rather than the left-handers.

He, however, stressed the need of formulating the 'review system' in the test matches as he thought there were a couple of close leg before appeals today during their bowling.

Bangladesh v Sri Lanka test scoreboard

Scoreboard at stumps on the opening day of the first test between Sri Lanka and Bangladesh at Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur on Friday:

Sri Lanka 1st innings:

M. Vandort c Hasan b Hossain 44

M. Warnapura lbw b Mortaza 14

K. Sangakkara c Ashraful b Hasan 43

M. Jayawardene b Hasan 3

T. Samaraweera not out 20

T. Dilshan b Hasan 14

P. Jayawardene c Iqbal b Hossain 6

C. Vaas not out 0

Extras (b4, lb7, nb6, w11) 28

Total (for six wickets) 172

Fall of wickets: 1-24 (Warnapura), 2-119 (Sangakkara), 3-121 (Vandort), 4-135 (M. Jayawardene), 5-155 (Dilshan), 6-171 (P. Jayawardene).

Bowling: Mortaza 13-1-48-1 (nb5, w10), Alam 13-4-23-0, Hossain 13.4-2-47-2 (nb1, w1), Hasan 18-3-43-3.

Overs: 57.4

Toss: Sri Lanka