COLOMBO, 4 July 2007 — Sri Lanka took charge of the second cricket Test after Bangladesh crashed to their lowest total of 62 on the opening day’s play here yesterday.
Fast bowler Lasith Malinga and off-spinner Muttiah Muralitharan grabbed four wickets each as Bangladesh, sent in to bat by Sri Lanka, were dismissed in the first over after lunch off 25.2 overs.
Sri Lanka built on the advantage to reach 154-1 in their first innings before heavy rain ended play 16.3 overs early at the P. Sara stadium.
Malinda Warnapura was unbeaten on 79 and Kumar Sangakkara was on 51, the pair having added 113 for the second wicket after Michael Vandort was bowled by Mashrafe Mortaza for 14. Bangladesh, thrashed by an innings and 234 runs in last week’s first Test, fell below their previous lowest total of 86, also against Sri Lanka in 2005. Malinga, 23, whose distinctive slinging action makes him a dangerous foe, created havoc in the rival ranks by scalping the first four wickets in a hostile opening spell.
But the paceman lifted Bangladesh’s drooping spirits by insisting they were not entirely to blame for the debacle.
“Any team would struggle against us because Sri Lanka has the best bowling attack in the world, even better than Australia’s,” Malinga told reporters.
“We used the conditions very well. Bangladesh is still learning how hard Test cricket is. I am sure the experience here will help them in future.” The tourists were reduced to 22-4 within the first hour, before Muralitharan (4-14) and third seamer Dilhara Fernando (2-16) polished off the rest of the batting. Muralitharan moved his career tally to 687 wickets, leaving him just 21 short of equaling retired Australian spinner Shane Warne’s world record haul of 708.
Bangladesh, who were bowled out for 89 on the first day of the previous Test, once again found the formidable Sri Lankan attack too hot to handle. Rajin Saleh’s 21 was the top score as none of the other batsmen reached double figures.
Malinga trapped Shahriar Nafees with his fourth delivery and then had the other opener, Javed Omar, caught behind by wicketkeeper Prasanna Jayawardene three overs later. The tourists slipped further as Malinga removed former captain Habibul Bashar and current skipper Mohammad Ashraful in four deliveries of his fifth over. Bashar made five when he hung his bat out to an outswinger and was snapped up at second slip by Sri Lankan captain Mahela Jayawardene. Ashraful fell to the last ball of the over as he flicked hard, but only to see Malinda Warnapura take a blinding catch in front of square leg. Muralitharan, who came on in the 16th over, was hit for two boundaries by young Mushfiqur Rahim before the prolific off-spinner had him caught behind for nine. Muralitharan had Mohammad Rafique caught in the deep and then ended Saleh’s defiant knock just before lunch.
India-Pakistan One-Day
Game Called Off
In Glasgow, Scotland, yesterday’s one-day charity international between India and Pakistan was called off after persistent rain saturated the Titwood ground.
Officials abandoned hopes of starting the one-off, 50-over match after an inspection at 1400 local time (1300 GMT). The match had originally been due to start at 0945 GMT. Organizers said the India and Pakistan crickets boards hoped to reschedule the match. “I have spoken to both boards and they have committed to explore a way in which this match could take place at some point in the future,” Manoj Badale, chairman of the British Asian Trust, told reporters.
“As yet we don’t have a date for that but both boards recognize that their fans around the world have been excited about this and have waited for a long time and will find a way of making this game happen again.” A venue had yet to be decided, Badale said. Pakistan’s first game of their two-match tour, against Scotland in Edinburgh on Sunday, was also abandoned because of rain without a ball being bowled.
“I’m disappointed, of course I am, but these things are an occupational hazard I’m afraid when you are involved with cricket in Scotland,” said Cricket Scotland chief executive Roddy Smith. “We can’t do anything about it.”
