Honours to Bangladesh on day one

Sri Lanka struggled to 7-238 at stumps on the opening day of the second Test against Bangladesh, with Dinesh Chandimal's unbeaten 86 providing some stability against an improved Bangladeshi bowling attack.

Bangladesh's bowlers dominated the first session of what is their country's 100th Test match and took wickets at regular intervals. Left-arm seamer Mustafizur Rahman (2-32) and offspinner Mehedi Hasan (2-58) were the most successful bowlers for the visitors.

Sri Lanka won the toss and elected to bat but Bangladesh's bowlers reduced the hosts to 4-70 at lunch. Sri Lanka would have been bowled out cheaply if not for two crucial partnerships involving Chandimal.

After lunch Chandimal led the first recovery with a 66-run partnership with Dhananjaya de Silva (34). Sri Lanka then slumped again after de Silva was bowled by left-arm spinner Taijul Islam, falling to 7-195 before Chandimal combined with captain Rangana Herath for an unbroken 43-run partnership for the eighth wicket.

Herath was on 18 when bad light stopped play. Chandimal spent more than five hours at the crease and faced 210 deliveries and hit just four boundaries for his unbeaten 86.

Bangladesh batsman Sabbir Rahman said their plan to cut easy runs out worked well for them.

"Our plan was to cut out the runs, bowl dot balls. We created opportunities and then we held on to them. We will try to get the three remaining wickets quickly. It will put them under pressure."

He said their team plan for the second day is to bowl Sri Lanka out under 300.

Sri Lanka coach Graham Ford said that his team's batting didn't go to plan but said they are still in the match with the pitch expected to break up and assist spin bowling.

"It was brilliant to see how Chandi took on the challenge of holding the innings together and he showed how mature a player he's become," Ford said.

Bangladesh made four changes to the line-up that lost the series-opener, leaving out Mahmudullah Riyad, Mominul Haque, Taskin Ahmed and Liton Das from the first Test.

Mossadek Hossain, who has played limited-overs international cricket, was handed a first Test cap. Batsmen Imrul Kayes, Sabbir Rahman and Islam have all been recalled to the starting XI.

Sri Lanka left out fast bowler Lahiru Kumara because of injury and added an extra batsman in de Silva.