The Albany Gazette - Sri Lanka 84-0 in reply after Rajitha torments Bangladesh

In reply Sri Lanka reached 84-0 at tea at Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Dhaka with opener Oshada Fernando unbeaten on 52 alongside Dimuth Karunaratne on 31.

Fernando survived a strong lbw appeal from Taijul Islam on 38.

Earlier, Mushfiqur Rahim was unbeaten on 175 when last man Ebadot Hossain was run out for a duck shortly after lunch for the hosts.

Ebadot's was the sixth duck of the Bangladesh innings, the joint highest in Test history.

Rajitha ended with figures of 5-64 while Asitha Fernando took 4-93.

Bangladesh lost four wickets for 53 during the morning session to slip to 349-9 at one stage from their overnight score of 277-5.

Rajitha struck twice in the eighth over, including sending back Liton Das for 141 and breaking his 272-run sixth-wicket stand with Mushfiqur, the pair having rescued Bangladesh from a perilous 24-5 on the first morning.

Kusal Mendis, who had been taken to hospital on the opening day under extreme heat, took the catch at second slip as Liton departed after hitting 16 fours and a six in his 246-ball innings.

Rajitha took his fifth wicket three balls later, forcing Mosaddek Hossain to edge behind for a duck in his first Test in more than two years.

Mushfiqur, who started the day on 115, took charge and played some extravagant shots, including reverse and conventional sweeps off Ramesh Mendis for successive boundaries on his way to 150.

It was the fifth time Mushfiqur had reached the 150-run mark in Tests and he had gone on to make three double centuries.

He added 49 runs with Taijul for the eighth wicket before Sri Lanka struck again as Fernando bagged his third victim of the innings with Khaled Ahmed soon becoming the fourth without scoring.

Mushfiqur and Ebadot then survived nearly six overs in an extended morning session.

Meanwhile the Sri Lanka cricket board said it was flying home batsman Kamil Mishara -- who hasn't played in either Test -- for an alleged breach of discipline.

An official source in Sri Lanka told AFP that Mishara had "entertained a visitor" in his hotel room, violating the rules of conduct for players.

The first Test ended in a draw in Chittagong.

(H.Schneide--BBZ)