Date:01/01/2009 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2009/01/01/stories/2009010155882000.htm

Sport - Cricket

Bangladesh valiant in defeat

— PHOTO: AFP

Shakib Al Hasan.

DHAKA: Dammika Prasad struck two decisive blows before Muttiah Muralitharan completed a 10-wicket haul to kill off Bangladesh’s hopes of an unlikely record run chase as Sri Lanka won the first Test by 107 runs on Wednesday.

Set a 521-run victory target, the host was all out for 413 in their second innings a little over an hour after the lunch break on the fifth and final day.

The home side was in with an outside chance of a stunning victory when it went to lunch on 373 for six needing a further 148 runs, with Shakib Al Hasan and Mushfiqur Rahim set fair at the crease on 82 and 40 respectively.

However, Prasad ended their 111-run seventh wicket stand when Shakib dragged a short and wide delivery onto his stumps just four short of a maiden Test century.

His highest Test score and six-wicket haul were enough to earn him the man of the match award but he would have readily swapped the honour in favour of a Bangladesh victory.

Shakib was dismissed with the score on 403 on seven, already the home side’s best fourth innings total and easily surpassing the 285 for five it accumulated against Zimbabwe in 2005.

Last man

Prasad soon forced Mashrafe Mortaza to edge a catch behind for two before Muralitharan ended the resistance of Rahim, caught by Tillakaratne Dilshan at midwicket for 61, to take his match tally to 10 wickets for a record 22nd time.

Earlier in the morning, skipper Mohammad Ashraful gave Bangladesh a very good platform with his fifth Test century. Resuming on 70, Ashraful reached his fourth century against Sri Lanka by driving Chaminda Vaas exquisitely over long on for a boundary shortly before he was trapped lbw for 101 by the same bowler.

The dismissal brought to an end his 112-run sixth wicket stand with Shakib.