Tigers skipper Ashraful is in search of his fifth Test century

Bangladesh require a further 267 to reach an improbable target of 521 after closing the penultimate day of the first Test in Mirpur on 254-5.

When the match resumed after a rest day due to parliamentary elections, Sri Lanka batted on for 23 overs, adding 114 runs before declaring on 405-6.

Mahela Jayawardene finally fell for 166 and Tillakaratne Dilshan smashed 47.

Mohammad Ashraful kept Bangladesh alive with an unbeaten 70 containing 11 fours and shared 74 with Shakib Al Hasan.

After a 20-minute delay to the start of day four because of fog, Jayawardene quickly reached 150 for the 10th time in his 11-year Test career, having resumed on 129.

Dilshan's rapid innings came to an end when he edged behind, and the captain fell in the next over when his attempted reverse sweep took the edge and flew to slip.

After Chaminda Vaas pulled Shakib over mid-wicket for six the declaration came before lunch.

The Tigers made a confident start, reaching 33 without loss after six overs, but in the eighth, Imrul Kayes was needlessly run-out after being slow to respond to partner Tamim Iqbal's call for a quick single into the covers.

That signalled the luncheon interval but Bangladesh continued smoothly in the afternoon until Iqbal, after eight fours in his 47, tried to pull a short ball down the leg-side and feathered a catch to the keeper.

After no wicket for nine runs in his opening seven overs, star bowler Muttiah Muralitharan tried round the wicket and found success as a delivery to Junaid Siddique brushed the glove en route to Jayawardene at first slip.

Six overs later Murali struck again when Raqibul Hasan, expecting turn, was bowled by a delivery that went straight on.

The spinner collected his third wicket when Mehrab Hossain jnr tried to hit him over mid-off, but only succeeded in finding the fielder.

Ashraful continued to look in command, however, and, having passed 2,000 Test runs, he reached his eighth fifty in his 47th match with successive boundaries off Murali.

Dilshan was confident his team would secure victory on the final day and said: "They will be under pressure because they need to get around 270 runs and we need only two wickets to expose their tail.

"After two overs, the new ball will be available for us so we have a very good chance to win."

E-mail this to a friend

Printable version