Sri Lanka coach Chandika Hathurusingha reportedly asked match referee David Boon to check the brooms used by groundsmen to sweep the pitch at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chittagong on the fourth morning of the first Test on Saturday.

There was a lot of speculation about the pitch for the first Test as the home side included six spinners in the squad and it was almost certain that the Tigers were going for a spin-friendly wicket. However, the pitch offered little assistance and remained a flat batting track for the whole match. At the beginning of the fourth day, Sri Lanka were on 504 for three in response to Bangladesh’s 513 all out.

It was learned from a source who had knowledge of the developments that Hathurusingha -- who was Bangladesh’s coach for three years till October 2017 -- was worried about how the curator would prepare the pitch. Despite the curator submitting a full chart of activities describing their work on the pitch during and after every day’s play, Hathurusingha was not satisfied and raised a few concerns with the match referee.

The former Bangladesh coach asked the match referee to have a look at the broom as he thought that there was something about it that might change the nature of the pitch.

The match referee checked the broom upon calling the curator but found nothing untoward.

It was also learnt that ahead of the first Test in Chittagong there was a bit of argument between Hathurusingha and curator Zahid Reza Babu about having a look at the pitch, which was yet to be prepared. And since the start of the Test the Sri Lankan was said to have kept a close eye on every movement on the pitch area before and after each day’s play.