<p align="justify" class="bodytext">Mominul Haque hit a towering century to help Bangladesh take opening day honours in the first Test against Sri Lanka in Chittagong on Wednesday.</p>.<p align="justify" class="bodytext">Mominul hit an unbeaten 175 as the hosts reached 374-4 at stumps after electing to bat first at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium.</p>.<p align="justify" class="bodytext">The left-hander shared a 236-run third-wicket stand with former captain Mushfiqur Rahim, who fell just short of his fifth Test hundred after scoring 92 off 192 balls.</p>.<p align="justify" class="bodytext">Skipper Mahmudullah Riyad, on nine, was batting alongside Mominul when stumps were drawn at the start of the two-match series.</p>.<p align="justify" class="bodytext">Suranga Lakmal struck with the second new ball to claim two wickets off successive deliveries and give Sri Lanka some respite late into the final session.</p>.<p align="justify" class="bodytext">Lakmal, who returned figures of 2-43, forced Mushfiqur to edge behind the stumps after the batsman had struck 10 fours in his relatively sedate innings.</p>.<p align="justify" class="bodytext">The medium-pacer bowled Liton Das for a duck with the next ball, which swung late to uproot the off-stump after the batsman had attempted to leave the delivery.</p>.<p align="justify" class="bodytext">Mominul was dominant at the other end, hitting 16 fours and a six off veteran spinner Rangana Herath during his stay, which has lasted 203 balls so far.</p>.<p align="justify" class="bodytext">The 26-year-old posted his fifth Test century and his first in more than three years off just 96 balls, with back-to-back fours off left-arm wrist spinner Lakshan Sandakan.</p>.<p align="justify" class="bodytext">He then edged Herath for four to reach 160 and bring up his 2,000 Test runs in his 47th innings.</p>.<p align="justify" class="bodytext">Mominul was the fastest Bangladeshi to achieve the feat, overtaking Tamim Iqbal's record of 53 innings.</p>.<p align="justify" class="bodytext">Mominul's authoritative batting came at his favourite ground after Bangladesh had lost both openers, Tamim and Imrul Kayes, in the morning session despite starting strongly.</p>.<p align="justify" class="bodytext">Tamim made 52 off 53 balls and shared a 72-run opening stand with Kayes (40).</p>.<p align="justify" class="bodytext">Off-spinner Dilruwan Perera bowled Tamim with a beautiful delivery that pitched outside off-stump and spun sharply to beat the batsman and clip the bails.</p>.<p align="justify" class="bodytext">Tamim struck six fours, and a sweetly timed six off Perera over long-on, in his 25th Test fifty.</p>.<p align="justify" class="bodytext">Sandakan trapped Kayes leg-before on the stroke of lunch, ending the left-hander's 75-ball stay.</p>
<p align="justify" class="bodytext">Mominul Haque hit a towering century to help Bangladesh take opening day honours in the first Test against Sri Lanka in Chittagong on Wednesday.</p>.<p align="justify" class="bodytext">Mominul hit an unbeaten 175 as the hosts reached 374-4 at stumps after electing to bat first at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium.</p>.<p align="justify" class="bodytext">The left-hander shared a 236-run third-wicket stand with former captain Mushfiqur Rahim, who fell just short of his fifth Test hundred after scoring 92 off 192 balls.</p>.<p align="justify" class="bodytext">Skipper Mahmudullah Riyad, on nine, was batting alongside Mominul when stumps were drawn at the start of the two-match series.</p>.<p align="justify" class="bodytext">Suranga Lakmal struck with the second new ball to claim two wickets off successive deliveries and give Sri Lanka some respite late into the final session.</p>.<p align="justify" class="bodytext">Lakmal, who returned figures of 2-43, forced Mushfiqur to edge behind the stumps after the batsman had struck 10 fours in his relatively sedate innings.</p>.<p align="justify" class="bodytext">The medium-pacer bowled Liton Das for a duck with the next ball, which swung late to uproot the off-stump after the batsman had attempted to leave the delivery.</p>.<p align="justify" class="bodytext">Mominul was dominant at the other end, hitting 16 fours and a six off veteran spinner Rangana Herath during his stay, which has lasted 203 balls so far.</p>.<p align="justify" class="bodytext">The 26-year-old posted his fifth Test century and his first in more than three years off just 96 balls, with back-to-back fours off left-arm wrist spinner Lakshan Sandakan.</p>.<p align="justify" class="bodytext">He then edged Herath for four to reach 160 and bring up his 2,000 Test runs in his 47th innings.</p>.<p align="justify" class="bodytext">Mominul was the fastest Bangladeshi to achieve the feat, overtaking Tamim Iqbal's record of 53 innings.</p>.<p align="justify" class="bodytext">Mominul's authoritative batting came at his favourite ground after Bangladesh had lost both openers, Tamim and Imrul Kayes, in the morning session despite starting strongly.</p>.<p align="justify" class="bodytext">Tamim made 52 off 53 balls and shared a 72-run opening stand with Kayes (40).</p>.<p align="justify" class="bodytext">Off-spinner Dilruwan Perera bowled Tamim with a beautiful delivery that pitched outside off-stump and spun sharply to beat the batsman and clip the bails.</p>.<p align="justify" class="bodytext">Tamim struck six fours, and a sweetly timed six off Perera over long-on, in his 25th Test fifty.</p>.<p align="justify" class="bodytext">Sandakan trapped Kayes leg-before on the stroke of lunch, ending the left-hander's 75-ball stay.</p>