Rajitha's five-for helps Sri Lanka crush Bangladesh by 328 runs in Sylhet, go 1-0 up in Test series

Kasun Rajitha registered his second five-wicket haul in Test cricket as Sri Lanka hammered Bangladesh by 328 runs in Sylhet on Monday to go 1-0 up in the two-match series.

Chasing an improbable 511 to win after centuries from Dhananjaya de Silva and Kamindu Mendis helped Sri Lanka post 418 in their second innings, the Tigers ended up getting shot out for a modest 182.

Mominul Haque’s unbeaten 87 was the sole bright spot in what was otherwise a sub-par batting performance, helping the hosts get within touching distance of 200 after resuming from their overnight score of 47/5. While Rajitha was the pick of the Lankan bowlers with figures of 5/56, Lahiru Kumara (2/39)  brought the innings to an end by grabbing the final wicket.

Fast bowler Rajitha claimed the wicket of Taijul Islam in the third over of the morning, trapping the left-hander in front for six.

Mominul, who hit 12 fours and a six, put on a dogged 66-run partnership with Mehidy Hasan Miraz for the seventh wicket before Rajitha struck again.

Mehidy, on 33, edged Rajitha to de Silva at second slip.

Rajitha took the wickets of Shoriful Islam (12) and Khaled Ahmed (0) off consecutive deliveries after the break to complete his five-wicket haul.

Vishwa Fernando was the other pivotal bowler for Sri Lanka with 3-36 as pacemen took all 20 wickets for the visitors in the game.

“The wicket had something for the fast bowlers,” said Sri Lanka captain and player of the match de Silva.

“We were talking about playing late, and what shots to play on this wicket. It paid off at the end of the day.”

Taijul and Mominul resumed Bangladesh’s innings at 47-5 after the top order collapsed in little over an hour before the close of play on Sunday.

“The wicket was good, there was movement early on,” said Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto.

“We have to improve our new-ball batting. A lot of work has to be done before the next Test, and we are going to have a plan to come back strongly.”

Sri Lanka, who have never lost a Test series in Bangladesh, made 280 in their first innings and Bangladesh replied with 188.

The visitors then made 418 with first-innings century-makers de Silva and Kamindu Mendis both reaching three figures for the second time in the match.

They were only the third pair from the same country to score centuries in each innings of a Test after Australia’s Chappell brothers, Greg and Ian, and Pakistan’s Misbah-ul-Haq and Azhar Ali.

The second and final match of the series will be played in Chittagong from 30 March.

With AFP inputs