Sangakkara hoists a big shot down the ground during his half-century

Sri Lanka are on the verge of batting Bangladesh out of contention in the second Test in Chittagong after closing day three 472 runs ahead.

The tourists were 296-4 at stumps, with Thilan Samaraweera on 72 and Tillakaratne Dilshan on 81.

Both Sri Lanka openers fell with the score on 55, but a theme of unhurried accumulation developed from that point.

Kumar Sangakkara's 54 kept Bangladesh's spin-orientated attack at bay, as he secured his team's dominant position.

Prasanna Jayawardene (28) contrived to chip Mohammad Ashraful to short mid-wicket, and three balls later Malinda Warnapura (27) was unfortunate to fall lbw, after the ball from Shahadat Hossain had pitched outside leg stump.

Progress remained slow, skipper Mahela Jayawardene taking 92 balls over his 22 before mistiming a drive off Mehrab Hossain to short cover.

Ashraful picked up his second wicket when Sangakkara somehow dragged a poor delivery onto his stumps, but from 165-4 Sri Lanka pulled themselves together again through Samaraweera and Dilshan.

Samaraweera played patiently, while Dilshan, who hit 162 in the first innings, was easily the most fluent of Sri Lanka's batsmen once again.

He was dropped on 51 by Junaid Siddique, spilling a tough slip chance off Mashrafe Mortaza, but by then the damage had been done.

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