Tigers drown in runs

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Sri Lanka enjoyed the second day of the first Test with both team and individual achievements as they piled on the runs against Bangladesh at the Sinhalese Sports Club (SSC) ground yesterday.

After spin wizard Muttiah Muralidaran’s five-wicket haul on the first day, the Sri Lankan batsmen assaulted Mohammad Ashraful’s men in a way that put them on course for another easy victory against the Tigers.

Captain Mahela Jayawardene recovered from injury to smash his seventeenth Test hundred, Michael Vandort scored his third ton while wicketkeeper Prasanna Jayawardene and late-order veteran Chaminda Vaas hit their maiden centuries as Sri Lanka amassed their highest total against Bangladesh after declaring the first innings at 577-6 in 135.5 overs.

It is all but confirmed that Bangladesh are going to face another embarrassing innings defeat as they were still 485 runs behind just to make the hosts bat again.

After toiling the whole day out on the ground, there was a small consolation for the visitors as Javed Omar and Shahriar Nafees successfully negotiated three overs to see the day off at 3-0 although Lankan skipper used three bowlers including Muralidaran. Bangladesh lost their way in the match after some shocking batting in the first innings to be bundled out for 89 runs.

With the huge total, Sri Lanka eclipsed their previous best of 555-5 declared in 2001 at the same venue against the Tigers.

Resuming the day on 227-3, Sri Lanka lost two wickets in the first session, but before that opener Vandort completed his second hundred against Bangladesh by making 117 runs off 155 balls that contained nine fours and three sixes. He was caught at short-leg off left-arm spinner Mohammad Rafique.

Another overnight batsman Tillakaratne Dilshan fell victim of a run out after scoring a 101-ball 79 that featured eight sweetly-timed boundaries and a six as the home side ate a happy lunch with their score on 352-5.

But there was no relief for the visiting bowlers in a very humid condition because the dismissal of Vandort brought his captain Jayawardene to the middle again who made his seventh hundred at his favourite venue. The right-hander went off on Monday evening having retired hurt on 93 runs, played an elegant straight drive against Rafique to reach the three-digit mark off only 127 balls.

Bangladesh pace spearhead Mashrafe Bin Mortaza gave a much-needed breakthrough by removing Jayawardene, who was caught at point by Shakib Al Hasan after hitting 18 boundaries and one six to score 127 off 159 balls.

Jayawardene’s dismissal created a chance for Mohammad Ashraful when the scoreboard was reading at 354-6, but the day finally belonged to wicketkeeper Jayawardene and Vaas as they joined together to add 223 runs for the seventh wicket to break the previous Sri Lankan record of 194 made by Hashan Tillakaratne and Thilan Samaraweera, who made it against India at this very ground.

Vaas is playing his 97th Test match and during his 169-ball 100 runs essay he hit seven boundaries. Sri Lanka declared their innings only after the veteran left-hander reached his hundred as the other Jayawardene was unbeaten on 120 off 191 balls with the help of ten fours.

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