Sri Lanka destroy Bangladesh

After being bowled out for 89 on the first day of the last Test, Bangladesh would have thought they couldn’t do much worse. Today though, 62 was their total, the lowest in their admittedly short Test history.

With Sri Lanka winning the toss and putting them in, Bangladesh’s top order had to face up to a fiery display of bowling from Lasith Malinga. He bowled fast, with swing, and it proved too much for four Bangldeshis.

Shahriar Nafees was struck in front with just Malinga’s fourth ball; Javed Omar was drawn half forward and edged behind an absolute beauty, while Habibul Bashar and Mohammad Ashraful were both accounted for in the same over. The horribly out-of-form Bashar’s woes continued, he edged to slip, while it was great work from Malinda Warnapura at short leg to catch a well hit ball from Ashraful.

Rajin Saleh was the most resilient batsman, he made 21 from 62 balls in nearly two hours, but he was the only batsman to make double figures. With Malinga out the attack, there was no respite, as Muttiah Muralitharan worked his magic. Plenty of doosras and some smart fielding placings from his captain helped him to 4-14, as he and Dilhara Fernando cleaned up the tail, closing the innings on an embarrassing 62.

Their opening bowlers fared better than their opening batsman, but that would be no great achievement. They kept things reasonably tight, but they were not really troubling Sri Lanka’s opening pair of Vandort and Warnapura. The only wicket they managed to take was Vandort for a pedestrian 14, as Sri Lanka cruised to 154-1 by the close.

Warnapura finished on 79, with a Test century in his sights in the morning, while Sangakkara eased to 51. After this demolition, Bangladesh will be extremely hard pressed to avoid another innings defeat, especially with the amount of Sri Lankan batting still to come.

Bangladesh 62
Rajin Saleh 21
Muttiah Muralitharan 4-14, Lasith Malinga 4-25

Sri Lanka 154-1
Malinda Warnapura 79*, Kumar Sangakkara 54*
Mashrafe Mortaza 1-31