CNN Central News & Network-ITDC India Epress / ITDC News Bhopal : A spirited resistance by Mehidy Hasan Miraz (81* off 110) wasn’t enough as Sri Lanka completed a comfortable 192-run win over Bangladesh in the second Test at Chattogram on Wednesday (April 3). The result meant a clean sweep win for the Lankans in the two-match series. Starting the final day at 268/7 with another 243 runs more needed for an improbable win, Bangladesh were always up against it and the result was a foregone conclusion of sorts. Mehidy hung around with some attractive strokeplay and was eyeing a potential century with Taijul Islam and Hasan Mahmud giving him good company. But Kamindu Mendis and Lahiru Kumara ensured that the formalities were done in the morning session itself.
The win was set up by Sri Lanka’s batters with a solid first innings performance that saw them post a mammoth total of 531 on a good batting surface. None of the batters got a hundred but six of them got to fifties including the top order. Nishan Madushka (57) set the tone early while Dimuth Karunaratne (86) and Kusal Mendis (93) gave Sri Lanka the ideal platform for a big score. Dinesh Chandimal (59) and Dhananjaya de Silva (70) did the consolidation job as Bangladesh’s bowlers were unable to create consistent pressure. There was some help for the seamers and early signs of spin too, but the hosts’ attack lacked venom.
Kamindu Mendis (92*) had the chance to make it three tons in a row but ran out of partners in the end. Sri Lanka’s batting effort meant that Bangladesh had to bat out of their skins to stay in the game. The home side were boosted by the inclusion of all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan, which meant that they had an extra batter in the XI. Under good batting conditions, Bangladesh started well with Zakir Hasan (54) leading the response. At 96/1 on the third day, the home side were gradually growing in confidence before a masterclass spell from Asitha Fernando (4-34) turned the game on its head.
It was Vishwa Fernando who started the collapse by removing Zakir and nightwatchman Taijul Islam before Asitha got into the act. A familiar Bangladesh collapse ensued as the last nine wickets fell for just 82 runs. Sri Lanka could have enforced the follow-on but they decided to bat again to swell the lead. The second innings effort from the visitors was nowhere close to their first innings heroics as the pitch started to play tricks. Bangladesh’s pace duo of Hasan Mahmud (4-65) and Khaled Mahmud (2-34) had Sri Lanka in all sorts of trouble with only three batters getting to double digits.
Angelo Mathews (56) was the top-scorer and his 43-run stand with Prabath Jayasuriya revived the innings a bit, although the cushion of a massive 353-run first innings lead meant that Sri Lanka were never under any pressure. They duly declared at 157-7, setting Bangladesh a gigantic target of 511. The hosts put up a better fight in the fourth innings but again, plenty of batters got to starts, only to waste them. It was the summary of the series for Bangladesh as their batters once again let them down. For Sri Lanka, it’s their pacers who outshone the spinners on pitches that had something in it for the quicks.
Brief scores: Sri Lanka 531 and 157-7 decl. (Angelo Mathews 56; Hasan Mahmud 4-65) beat Bangladesh178 and 318 (Mehidy Hasan Miraz 81, Mominul Haque 50; Lahiru Kumara 4-50) by 192 runs
