Sri Lanka take command despite Mashrafe’s defiance

CHITTAGONG (Bangladesh), Jan 4: Sri Lanka bowled themselves to a position of strength despite a rearguard rally by Bangladesh tailender Mashrafe Mortaza on the second day of the second and final Test here on Sunday.

Spinners Ajantha Mendis and Muttiah Muralitharan shared seven wickets to bowl out the hosts for 208 in their first innings in reply to Sri Lanka’s strong 384.

It was Mashrafe who spared Bangladesh the ignominy of following on, adding 63 for the last wicket with Shahadat Hossain (five not out) after they were reeling at 145-9.

Mashrafe hit eight fours and two sixes, one each off Mendis and Muralitharan, in his 89-ball 63. The only other player to offer some resistance was skipper Mohammad Ashraful who made 45 off 100 balls with five fours and a six.

Sri Lankan openers Malinda Warnapura (seven) and Prasanna Jayawardene (six) took their team to 13-0 in their second innings at close for an overall lead of 189.

Mendis, playing only his fourth Test and his first away from home after missing the opening game in Dhaka due to an ankle injury, rattled the home team with his guiles.

He removed Mehrab Hossain Jr (18) and the in-form Shakib Al Hasan for a first-ball duck off successive balls besides taking the wickets of Mushfiqur Rahim (21) and Raqibul Hasan to finish with figures of 4-71.

Mendis, who enjoyed a sensational debut against India last year picking 26 wickets from three Tests, also got able support from Muralitharan (3-62).

The veteran bowler brought to an end a spirited knock by Ashraful, who flayed him for a six and two fours in an over, by having him caught behind.

Earlier Chaminda Vaas dismissed both the openers to deny Bangladesh a strong start in their first innings.

The fast bowler removed Tamim Iqbal for a duck in the opening over and trapped Imrul Kayes leg before for six, Bangladesh slipping to a precarious 26-2.

Mendis picked the third Bangladeshi wicket to fall in the morning when Raqibul Hasan failed to read a straighter one from the bowler and was adjudged leg before.

Bangladesh’s batsmen failed to build on the good work of their bowlers who dismissed the visitors after they had added just 13 runs to their overnight total of 371-6.

Shakib picked three of the four remaining wickets to finish with 4-109.

Sri Lanka lead the two-Test series 1-0 after winning the opening Test in Dhaka by 107 runs.

Scoreboard

SRI LANKA (1st Innings, overnight 371-6):

B.S.M. Warnapura lbw b Ashraful 63

P. Jayawardene lbw b Mashrafe 0

K.C. Sangakkara b Mashrafe 5

M. Jayawardene c Mushfiqur b Shakib 11

T.T. Samaraweera b Shahadat 19

T.M. Dilshan b Enamul 162

C.K. Kapugedera lbw b Shakib 96

W.P.U.J.C. Vaas lbw b Mashrafe 3

M. Muralitharan lbw b Shakib 0

B.A.W. Mendis not out 6

C.R.D. Fernando lbw b Shakib 0

EXTRAS (B-4, LB-8, W-1, NB-6) 19

TOTAL (all out, 94 overs) 384

FALL OF WKTS: 1-1, 2-7, 3-39, 4-75, 5-194, 6-367, 7-376, 8-376, 9-384.

BOWLING: Mashrafe Mortaza 22-7-58-3 (2nb); Shahadat Hossain 14-0-80-1 (1w); Shakib Al Hasan 30-6-109-4 (1nb); Enamul Haque Jr 19-3-70-1 (3nb); Mehrab Hossain Jr 7-1-36-0; Mohammad Ashraful 2-0-19-1.

BANGLADESH (1st Innings):

Tamim Iqbal c P. J’dene b Vaas 0

Imrul Kayes lbw b Vaas 6

Junaid Siddique b Fernando 28

Raqibul Hasan lbw b Mendis 0

M. Ashraful c P. J’dene b Murali 45

Mehrab Hossain Jr lbw b Mendis 18

Shakib Al Hasan lbw b Mendis 0

Mushfiqur Rahim st P. J’dene b Mendis 21

Mashrafe Mortaza c Dilshan b Murali 63

Enamul Haque Jr c P. J’dene b Murali 4

Shahadat Hossain not out 5