A blistering century from Kusal Mendis and 85 from Asela Gunaratne enabled the hosts to pile up 321 for 4 after 88 overs in the first Test against Bangladesh at the Galle International Stadium today.

Almost exactly four years ago, this very setting was the scene of his highest personal peak. In a team that contained more obvious candidates for stardom, it was skipper Mushfiqur Rahim who confirmed what many thought but had not often voiced -- that he is the best batsman in Bangladesh -- with Bangladesh's first Test double-hundred.

Much of the talk regarding the first Test between Bangladesh and Sri Lanka due to start at 10:30am (Bangladesh time) on Tuesday at the Galle International Cricket Stadium has surrounded Bangladesh's previous visit here in March 2013.

With it still being unseasonably pleasant in Bangladesh, the heat in Galle is the first thing that hits Bangladeshis coming here. But it is only one of the aspects of the examination that Bangladesh will face when they take on the home team in the first Test tomorrow.

Bangladesh will have a chance to overtake the West Indies in the points table if it is able to pull off a victory in a two-Test series against Sri Lanka that starts in Galle on Tuesday.

With an eye on improving its less than impressive away record, Bangladesh will look to catch an under-strength Sri Lanka off guard when the two-Test series gets underway in Galle on Tuesday (March 7).

Bangladesh limited overs skipper Mashrafe Bin Mortaza bowled with a cricket ball for the first time in nearly two months yesterday.

Tensions flared in a gripping opening hour of day two of the second Test, with rival skippers Steve Smith and Virat Kohli sharing a heated chat for several overs.

Off-spinner Nathan Lyon claimed a career-best haul of eight wickets to help Australia bowl out India for a paltry 189 and take opening day honours in the second Test in Bangalore on Saturday.

Onetime discarded coach, Chandika Hathurusingha has returned to the land that evicted him from a possible coaching job this time fully armed with a rising band of cricketers and waiting to settle an old score.

Eoin Morgan’s 10th one-day international century provided the batting foundation while seamers Liam Plunkett and Chris Woakes took four wickets each as England defeated the West Indies by 45 runs in the series opener on Friday.

Initially the bowlers got some swing but Tamim Iqbal and Mominul Haque played sensibly; they took time to settle down in the middle after Soumya Sarkar was out fishing outside off stump.

Sri Lanka Cricket is pleased to announce the appointment of former Sri Lanka No.3 batsman Asanka Gurusinha as the Manager Cricket for the National Team of Sri Lanka.

Sri Lanka’s interim Test captain Rangana Herath paid a tribute to his mentor Chandika Hathurusingha, who invited him for Moors Sports Club when he was a 19-year-old.

The rain in Colombo yesterday prevented the Bangladesh team from doing any sort of outdoor training. A number of the players instead decided to spend their time sweating it out in the gym.

Mitchell Starc may have won the opening duel against Indian skipper Virat Kohli by getting the star batsman out for a duck in the first Test, but the Australian fast bowler insists the battle has just begun.

Barring a last-minute intervention from the home side, the second Test between India and Australia will be played on a "sporting" pitch which will be fair to both teams, organisers in Bengaluru have said.

The Bangladesh national cricket team left for Sri Lanka yesterday for a long series that will last for more than a month and, truth be told, this is arguably the most prepared Bangladesh team to travel to the island nation.

Bangladesh national cricket team left Dhaka for their month long tour of Sri Lanka today.

After losing three Tests away from Home, Bangladesh skipper Mushfiqur Rahim reckons that they have an opportunity to end their rut in Sri Lanka, when they leave for the island nation today, provided that the Tigers are able to give their best on the field.