Sri Lanka three wickets away from victory

Sri Lanka edged closer to a 2-0 series win in Bangladesh after claiming seven second innings wickets on day four in Chittagong. The tourists need three more wickets to wrap up the series and make further inroads in the World Test Championship.

Dhananjaya de Silva’s side began the series placed last in the World Test Championship. However, following their comprehensive win in the first Test in Sylhet, they moved up to sixth position and a win in Chittagong will see them placed third, only behind India and Australia.

Sri Lanka have dominated the Test series and rarely been tested. In the last session of day three only they failed to make an impact having slumped to 86 for six.

Resuming from the overnight score of 102 for six, they lost Angelo Mathews with the total on 132 after a 44-run partnership with Prabath Jayasuriya.

It was Mathews’ first half-century in the series and Sri Lanka declared on 157 for seven setting Bangladesh an improbable 511 run target.

Sri Lanka were without the services of their former captain Dinesh Chandimal, who had to return home due to a family medical emergency.

Left-arm spinner Prabath Jayasuriya made the first breakthrough when he cleaned up opening batter Mahmudul Hasan for 24.

Zakir Hasan was snapped up at second slip off Vishwa Fernando.

Lahiru Kumara claimed the key wicket of Najmul Shanto with a peach of a delivery that moved away after pitching and the batsman was playing the wrong line expecting it to come in. The Bangladesh captain had a quiet Test series not able to make any big scores.

Mominul Haque, Bangladesh’s most successful batter in the series, posted another half-century but threw away his wicket after the milestone.

The surprise package among the bowlers was Kamindu Mendis, who finished with two wickets. It was the first time in Test match cricket the ambidextrous spinner had claimed a wicket.

Kamindu first had Shakib-al-Hasan caught by the close in fielder Nishan Madushka and then trapped Shahadat Hossain leg before wicket.

With Bangladesh down to the tail, Sri Lanka were looking to knock them off soon to earn a well-deserved day off, but there was some stubborn resistance from Mehidy Hasan (44) and Taijul Islam (10).

The new ball is 13 overs away and Sri Lanka would be looking to knock off the opposition before lunch on the final day.