(Reuters) – Sparkling centuries by middle-order batsman Kamindu Mendis and captain Dhananjaya de Silva helped Sri Lanka thrash Bangladesh by 328 runs on the fourth day of the opening test yesterday to take a 1-0 lead in the two-match series.
Having set Bangladesh a mammoth victory target of 511 after Kamindu scored 164 and De Silva 108 in the second innings in Sylhet, Sri Lanka bowled out the hosts for 182 in 49.2 overs.
Kamindu and De Silva stitched together a 173-run partnership on the third day as Sri Lanka made 418 all out, marking only the third time ever that two 150-plus stands had been shared in one test match by the same pair. Bangladesh lost half their side on Sunday with only 47 on the board – still needing 464 for victory – and folded after a late fightback on the fourth day, with Kasun Rajitha taking 5-56 and Vishwa Fernando claiming 3-36.
Mominul Haque offered resistance with an unbeaten 87 but could not prevent the inevitable. Earlier in the match, knocks of 102 by Kamindu and De Silva were the outstanding performances on a challenging wicket as Sri Lanka were dismissed for 280 on the opening day.
After Bangladesh’s Khaled Ahmed and Nahid Rana took six wickets, it was the turn of Sri Lanka’s seam bowlers to shine and they ripped through the hosts to secure a 92-run lead.
Fernando captured four wickets while Rajitha and Lahiru Kumara bagged three each before Dimuth Karunaratne’s 36th test half-century helped the tourists increase their lead late on the second day.
The second test begins in Chattogram on March 30.