BBC SPORT | Cricket | Muralitharan strikes again

First Test, Colombo, day one (stumps): Sri Lanka 32-0 v Bangladesh 161

Muttiah Muralitharan took his 35th Test five-wicket haul to bowl Bangladesh out for 161 on a rain-affected opening day of the first Test in Colombo.

Returning from a shoulder injury, the off-spinner removed Habibul Bashar for 24 at the stroke of lunch.

And he had Aminul Islam, caught by Russel Arnold at bat-pad for a duck, for the sole wicket in an afternoon session reduced to seven overs because of heavy rain.

But the deluge came when Murali combined with Charitha Buddika to remove the final five wickets for 13 runs.

Muralitharan finished with figures of five for 39 from 19.4 overs, while Buddika took two for 38.

The hosts continued with an opening pair first used in England, Russel Arnold joining Marvan Atapattu to add 32 without loss in seven overs before the close.

Atapattu was 20 not out at stumps, and Arnold unbeaten on 10, with two boundaries.

The tourists had begun the day well, Hannan Sarkar making a solid 55 on debut, with eight fours in his 69-ball knock.

Sanath Jayasuriya
Jayasuriya struck with his first delivery
Sarkar and Bashar steadied the innings with a 57-run stand for the third wicket after their team had lost two wickets in the space of 18 runs on a pitch favouring fast bowlers in the initial stages.

But captain Sanath Jayasuriya struck with his first delivery when he trapped Sarkar leg-before.

Debutant left-arm seamer Sujeeva de Silva provided the breakthrough in his fourth over when he trapped opener Al Shariar leg-before for 13 with a good-length delivery that cut in sharply.

And Ehsanul Haque was bowled by a Dilhara Fernando inswinger for two.

Sarkar reached his half-century off 63 deliveries when he swept Muralitharan for two to fine leg, but did not last long.

Sri Lanka had left veteran batsman Hashan Tillakaratne out of their final XI, preferring to play wicketkeeper Prassana Jayawardene.

Bangladesh, playing their first Test under new coach Mohsin Kamal, named a new-look side, giving debuts to four players.

Sri Lanka: Sanath Jayasuriya, Marvan Atapattu, Mahela Jayawardene, Russel Arnold, Aravinda de Silva, Kumar Sangakkara, Prasanna Jayawardena, Muttiah Muralitharan, Dilhara Fernando, Sujeeva de Silva, Charitha Buddika Fernando.

Bangladesh: Khaled Mashud, Habibul Bashar, Aminul Islam, Akram Khan, Al Sahariar, Ehsanul Haque, Hannan Sarkar, Enamul Haque, Manjural Islam, Talha Jubair, Alamgir Kabir.

Umpires: Steve Bucknor (WI) and David Shepherd (Eng); Match referee: Wasim Raja (Pak).


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