Saturday, January 3, 2009

SRILANKA VS BANGLADESH 2nd TEST 2009:DILSHAN & KAPUGEDRA PARTNERED TO PUT SRILANKA AT TOP


Tillakaratne Dilshan scored a hundred and put on a 173-run stand with Chamara Kapugedara on Saturday to steer Sri Lanka to 371-6 at stumps on day one of the second Test against Bangladesh. Dilshan smashed 21 fours and two sixes to hit 162 from 165 balls for his sixth Test century. It helped rescue Sri Lanka after the visitors were 4-75 at one stage with opening bowler Mashrafe Mortaza taking two early wickets at Divisional Stadium.

Kapugedera was 93 not out at the end of play after collecting 12 boundaries in 117 balls as he shared in a Sri Lankan record sixth-wicket stand with Dilshan. Opener Malinda Warnapura hit 63 and was the only other batsman to make more than 19. Sri Lanka captain Mahela Jayawardena, playing his 100th Test, won the toss and opted to bat on a spin-friendly, slow pitch. But Mortaza trapped Prasanna Jayawardene lbw for 0 in the first over and bowled Kumar Sangakkara for 5 in the third to leave Sri Lanka on 7-2.

Jayawardene and Warnapura steadied the innings before Shakib Al Hasan had the captain caught behind for 11 with 32 runs added to the total.

Warnapura and Thilan Samaraweera batted through to lunch and added another 36 runs in the second session before Samaraweera (19) was bowled by Shahadat Hossain, with Sri Lanka in trouble at 75-4. Then a 119-run fifth-wicket stand between Warnapura and Dilshan put Sri Lanka in command. The runs were scored at a good clip, with the visitors adding 164 in 30 overs in the second session.

Bangladesh captain Mohammad Ashraful finally ended the partnership, dismissing Warnapura lbw after a 151-ball innings that contained six boundaries. It was his fifth Test half-century. Dilshan's century in his 50th Test match came off 93 balls and included 14 boundaries and a couple of sixes. His innings was ended when he was bowled by Enamul Haque with the visitors on 367-6.

Sri Lanka made three changes after winning the series opener by 107 runs, replacing Rangana Herath, Dammika Prasad and Michael Vandort with Kapugedara, Dilhara Ferdando and Ajantha Mendis, who missed the first Test due to injury. Bangladesh brought in spinner Haque in place of Mahbubul Alam.

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