March 19, 2013
Brief Scorecard: Sri Lanka 346 (Sangakkara 139, Chandimal 102) and 160 for 3 (Dilshan 57, Sangakkara 55) beat Bangladesh 240 (Mominul 64, Herath 5-68) and 265 (Tamim 59, Herath 7-89) by seven wickets
March 19, 2013
Brief Scorecard: Sri Lanka 346 (Sangakkara 139, Chandimal 102) and 160 for 3 (Dilshan 57, Sangakkara 55) beat Bangladesh 240 (Mominul 64, Herath 5-68) and 265 (Tamim 59, Herath 7-89) by seven wickets
Sri Lankan cricketer Rangana Herath (2R) celebrates with his teammates after he dismissed Bangladeshi cricketer Jahurul Islam (3L) during the third day of the second Test match between Sri Lanka and Bangladesh at the R. Premadasa Cricket Stadium in Colombo on March 18, 2013
Maiden triumph for Angelo Mathews as Test captain
Colombo: Lahiru Thirimanne hit the winning run as Sri Lanka beat Bangladesh by seven wicket to win the second Test and the series 1-0.
Both Mathews and Thirimanne were unbeaten on 13 apiece as Sri Lanka coast to victory with more than a day to spare.
Sri Lanka 160-3 in 41.4 overs chasing a target of 160 winning the second Test against Bangladesh on day four at R Premadasa Stadium on Tuesday.
It is the first success for Mathews as captain sealing it with a series triumph.
"We were put under a little bit of pressure in the first innings, but Sanga and Chandimal scored those useful centuries. Sanga works unbelievably hard, and what more can you ask from Rangana Herath. After Murali, Herath has been the man for us," said Sri Lanka captain Angelo Mathews.
"We have a lot to improve upon and lot to learn. Bangladesh played really well and put us under pressure, but i never really doubted my team," he added.
Bangladesh skipper Mushfiqur Rahim took heart despite the loss inside four days.
"We were probably 100 runs short in the second innings. We are really playing well over the last one and a half years. Couple of young guys came through – Nasir, Mominul – and Ashraful came back as well. They played really well against Sri Lanka in pressure situation. Hopefully they will get better with time," he said.
Man of the match Rangana Herath who bagged 12 wickets said: "I just wanted to bowl the right thing. If you take yesterday's position when Bangladesh was 100 for 2, the game was in balance, but after that we took in under control with those two late wickets."
Kumar Sangakkara is the Man of the Series (441 runs): "Concentration is a very important part of batting or anything. There is no secret – preparation, hard work and you have to be 100 per cent before the match day – mentally, physically, and technically," said Sangakkara who was ajudged man of the series amassing 441 runs.
"This was a tough Test for Angelo, because against Bangladesh you expect to win, but that also puts a lot of pressure. Lots of young players in the side, they will only get better. Bangladesh will walk away with positives. We were surprised the way they played the first Test, they really played well and tested us. Congratulations to Mushfiqur, Ashraful and their bowlers," added the former Sri Lanka skipper.
Rangana Herath celebrated his 35th birthday with a career-best 7-89 as Sri Lanka clinched the series against Bangladesh with a comfortable seven-wicket win in the second and final Test on Tuesday.
Opener Tillakaratne Dilshan (57) and left-handed Kumar Sangakkara (55) put on 94 for the second wicket before Sri Lanka achieved a 160-run target on the penultimate day in Colombo.
The opening Test ended in a draw in Galle.
Former captain Sangakkara, who scored three successive centuries in the series, cracked eight fours in his 85-ball knock before being bowled by off-spinner Sohag Gazi.
Dilshan, bowled by paceman Robiul Islam, hit six fours in his 73-ball knock.
Bangladesh, trailing by 106 runs, were earlier bowled out for 265 in their second innings after adding 107 to their overnight total of 158-4.
Left-arm spinner Herath did the damage as he captured four of the remaining six Bangladeshi wickets in the morning. He also completed his third haul of 10 or more wickets in a Test, after bagging 5-68 in the first innings.
Skipper Mushfiqur Rahim (40) offered some resistance before becoming Herath's 200th Test victim, caught by Angelo Mathews at first slip after hitting one six and three fours in his 87-ball knock.
Tailender Abul Hasan cracked two sixes in his unbeaten 25 to help Bangladesh cross the 250 mark.
Herath struck in his opening over of the morning, having Mominul Haque caught by Dimuth Karunaratne at short-leg with a delivery that turned and bounced. Mominul managed to add just one to his overnight score of 36.
Herath, who struck three times on Monday, claimed his fifth wicket when he bowled Nasir Hossain for a duck in his third over to reduce Bangladesh to 171-6.
Bangladesh counter-attacked, with Rahim smashing Herath for a straight six and Gazi (26) later lofting the spinner over long-off for his first six.
Gazi kept playing his shots after being dropped on 14 by Karunaratne at second slip off paceman Nuwan Kulasekara.
Gazi hit the next two deliveries for fours but his flourish did not last long. He was caught by Suranga Lakmal at long-on while attempting a big slog off Herath, who shared the new ball with Kulasekara.
Sri Lanka on Monday were bowled out for 346 in their first innings in reply to Bangladesh's 240.
Courtesy: cricinfo
