Sri Lanka beat Bangladesh by 259 runs

Sri Lanka showed their supremacy in the longest format of cricket when they defeated Bangladesh by a massive margin of 259 runs in the first Test to take a 1-0 lead in the two-match series at Galle today.

Sri Lanka’s stand-in captain Rangana Herath captured six wickets for 59 runs in 20.2 overs to rip the heart out of Bangladesh’s middle order. In total, Herath took nine wickets in the match.

Dilruwan Perera took two wickets while Asela Gunaratne and Lakshan Sandakan chipped in with a wicket each. For Bangladesh, Soumya Sarkar was the highest run-getter during their second innings with 53. Mushfiqur Rahim and Liton Das scored 34 and 35 respectively.

Mehedi Hasan Miraz was the last wicket taken by Sri Lanka to wrap up the Test match. He became Herath's sixth victim when the batsman struck the ball straight down the throat of Kumara at mid-off.

Mehedi Hasan Miraz c Kumara b Herath 28 (48b 3x4 1x6) SR: 58.33

Fall of wicket 197/10 (60.2 ov); Partnership: 3 runs, 3.4 overs, RR: 0.81 (Subashis Roy 0, Mehedi Hasan Miraz 3)

Bangladesh imploded emphatically after lunch as Mustafizur Rahman became the ninth wicket to fall when he was bowled by Rangana Herath to leave the tourists staring at defeat at 194 for 9 in 56.4 overs during the post-lunch session.

Herath who earlier became the highest wicket-taker in Test history as a left-arm spinner took his fifth wicket of the innings when he sent back Mustafizur in the 57th over. The five-for was Herath’s 23rd in Sri Lanka.

Mustafizur expected the ball to spin in a lot more and was playing for the turn. But the ball drifted in from outside off and went on to beat the outside edge.

Mustafizur Rahman b Herath 0 (5b 0x4 0x6) SR: 0.00

Fall of wicket 194/9 (56.4 ov); Partnership: 14 runs, 1.5 overs, RR: 7.63 (Mustafizur Rahman 0, Mehedi Hasan Miraz 14)

Taskin Ahmed was the eighth wicket to fall for the tourists. He got an inside from Herath and was dismissed for 5.

Taskin Ahmed c Mendis b Herath 5 (13b 0x4 0x6) SR: 38.46

Fall of wicket 181/8 (54.5 ov); Partnership: 15 runs, 4.3 overs, RR: 3.33 (Taskin Ahmed 5, Mehedi Hasan Miraz 5)

The procession of wickets continued after lunch. Now it was the turn of Liton Das. A soft dismissal in the end. With the wicket, Herath surpassed Daniel Vettori to become the most successful left-arm spinner in Test cricket.

Liton looked to slog the ball over the cow corner, but only managed a leading edge for his troubles. The cover fielder completed the straightforward catch to hammer in the last nails into Bangladesh’s coffin.

Liton Das c Tharanga b Herath 35 (62b 2x4 0x6) SR: 56.45

Fall of wicket 166/7 (50.2 ov); Partnership: 8 runs, 3.0 overs, RR: 2.66 (Liton Das 2, Mehedi Hasan Miraz 6)

Big wicket after lunch…Mushfiqur Rahim goes…and the tourists in real trouble. Sandakan gets the breakthrough, and Sri Lanka start the post-lunch session in the best way possible!

Mushfiqur was trying to tuck it into the leg side, fine, but got an edge to the wicketkeeper. Nirshan Dickwella continued to effect dismissals down the leg side.

Mushfiqur Rahim c †Dickwella b Sandakan 34 (98b 2x4 0x6) SR: 34.69

The sixth wicket unbeaten partnership between Mushfiqur Rahim and Liton Das of 53 runs in 19 overs stopped the rot and took Bangladesh to lunch on day-5.

Tigers skipper Mushfiqur was 34 not out and Liton 32 when the players left the field for lunch on the last day. Mushfiqur was watchful and played 97 balls to keep the Sri Lanka bowlers at bay. Their partnership has been slow, but a crucial one as only Mehedi Hasan Miraz is left in the dugout before the bowlers come in to play.

The session belonged to the hosts…a wicket off the second delivery for Asela Gunaratne to dismiss Soumya Sarkar. Dilruwan Perera and Rangana Herath shared two wickets apiece to peg back the tourists. Sri Lanka will want to take the last five wicket quickly as Galle has seen weather interrupting play in the final session during the last couple of days.

Bangladesh were struck a mortal blow in the context of the first Test against Sri Lanka when Rangana Herath dismissed Shakib Al Hasan and Mahmudullah Riyad in the first session of day-5 to leave the tourists struggling at 104 for 5 in 28 overs.

Another one bites the dust…and Mahmudullah falls to the arm ball of Herath. Two wickets in three balls, and the horror show continues for Bangladesh on the last day.

Mahmudullah plonked his leg across, went for the forward defence, but the ball sneaked in and struck his back leg…in front of the stumps.

Mahmudullah lbw b Herath 0 (2b 0x4 0x6) SR: 0.00

Fall of wicket 104/5 (27.6 ov); Partnership: 0 runs, 0.2 overs, RR: 0.00 (Mahmudullah 0, Mushfiqur Rahim 0)

The fourth wicket to fall for Bangladesh during the morning session was that of Shakib’s. Herath drew the left-hander forward, but Shakib could not get to the pitch of the ball to smother the spin. As a result, the ball turned, caught his glove and ballooned in front of Karunaratne who completed the catch.

Shakib Al Hasan c Karunaratne b Herath 8 (12b 1x4 0x6) SR: 66.66

Fall of wicket 104/4 (27.4 ov); Partnership: 21 runs, 6.5 overs, RR: 3.07 (Mushfiqur Rahim 13, Shakib Al Hasan 8)

Troubles continued unabated for Bangladesh in the first Test against Sri Lanka at Galle as Tamim Iqbal edged to first slip in the 21st over of the day for 19, just two overs after Mominul Haque's departure and within 28 minutes of Soumya Sarkar's dismissal early in the morning on day-5.

Tamim pushed forward to a Dimuth Perera delivery on off stump that spun sharply and took the edge to Asela Gunaratne at slip.

Tamim Iqbal c Gunaratne b Perera 19 (55b, 1x4) FOW 3-83 (20.5 ov)

With Soumya Sarkar already back in the pavilion, number three batsman Mominul Haque lasted only 15 balls for five before an almost exact repeat of his first innings dismissal. He went back to an around-the-wicket ball from Dilruwan Perera which pitched on middle and leg and straightened to hit the left-hander above the knee roll on the back foot.

Mominul reviewed the out decision, but replays showed the ball to be hitting the top of leg stump.

Mominul Haque lbw b Perera 5 (15b, 1x4) FOW 2-80 (18.5 ov)

Bangladesh reviews remaining: 1

Bangladesh opener Soumya Sarkar was bowled off the second ball of the day by part-time medium-pacer Asela Gunaratne. The off-cutter beat the outside edge of Soumya, who was batting on 53 off 47 overnight. Soumya actually asked for a review, not realising that he was bowled and thinking that it was an appeal for caught behind.

Soumya Sarkar b Gunaratne 53 (49b, 6x4, 1x6) FOW 1-67 (15.2 ov)

Bangladesh began the day with 390 runs to adrift of their target of 457 and 98 overs to bat out for a draw in the first Test of the two-Test series against Sri Lanka at the Galle International Cricket Stadium.