Sri Lanka’s bowlers reduced Bangladesh to 220-8 at stumps on a rain-hit day one of the second Test at the Sinhalese Sports Club ground.

On a track that offered little for the bowlers, it was debutant Sonal Dinusha who stole the spotlight.

The 24-year-old left-arm spinner, thrust into the big league following Angelo Mathews’ retirement, returned figures of 2-22 in an impressive debut.

Dinush’s first scalp was Litton Das, ending a flourishing fifth-wicket partnership with Mushfiqur Rahim. He then accounted for the prized wicket of Mushfiqur, who had scored a century in the first Test.

Pacer Vishwa Fernando provided useful support to Dinush.

The left-arm seamer, back in national colours after a successful county stint with Warwickshire, removed Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto, who had scored two hundreds in the first Test.

Vishwa returned later in the innings to dismiss Mehidy Hasan Miraz with a sharp delivery that found the edge.

Bangladesh’s decision to bat first backfired as their batsmen struggled.

Apart from Shadman Islam’s patient 46, the top order failed to deliver.

“It’s a slow kind of surface,” Islam said. “It wasn’t easy to play shots.”

Sri Lanka’s fielding was patchy in places, but their bowlers more than made up for it, ensuring the visitors never ran away with the game.

Asitha Fernando, drafted in after Milan Rathnayake’s injury, ably supported Dinusha and Vishwa.

Bangladesh rang in two changes to their side: Mehidy Hasan returned after recovering from fever, replacing Jaker Ali, while Ebadot Hossain came in for the injured Hasan Mahmud.

© Agence France-Presse