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Sunday, November 22, 2009
Dilshan suffers broken nose
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
Sri Lanka beats Bangladesh by 465
Dilshan, who scored 162 and 143 with the bat, took 4-10 in 4.2 overs to help dismiss Bangladesh for 158 after a 92-run sixth-wicket stand between Mushfiqur Rahim (43) and Shakib Al Hasan (46) took the hosts to 144-6 in the unlikely pursuit of 624 to win.
Al Hasan was stumped by Prasanna Jayawardene off Dilshan, who then trapped Mehrab Hossain lbw for 5, had Mashrafe bin Mortaza caught behind for 0 and then bowled Shahadat Hossain for 1 at Chittagong Divisional Stadium.
Earlier, Sri Lanka declared on 447-6 at lunch with Thilan Samaraweera (77) and Chamara Kapugedera (59 not out) scoring half-centuries and add to Dilshan's hundred and Kumar Sangakkara's 54.
Bangladesh had lost both opening batsmen by the time the score was 22. Unorthodox finger spinner Ajantha Mendis had Imrul Kayes caught at first slip by Mahela Jayawardene for five and Tamim Iqbal was caught behind for 17 off Chaminda Vaas.
Mendis dismissed Junaid Siddique lbw for four before having Bangladesh captain Mohammad Ashraful caught behind for seven and ultimately finished with figures of 3-57. Dilhara Fernando then bowled Raqibul Hasan for 10 to leave the hosts at 52-5.
Sri Lanka had resumed the day on 296-4 and Al Hasan made an early breakthrough for Bangladesh, trapping Samaraweera lbw to end his 145-run partnership with Dilshan.
Dilshan then batted with Kapugedara to complete his seventh Test century before being bowled by Enamul Haque for 143. Dilshan's hundred came off 130 balls and included 11 boundaries.
Ashraful took 2-56, while Haque had figures of 2-109.
Sri Lanka won the first Test in Dhaka by 107 runs.
Sunday, January 4, 2009
Mortaza's defiance: Bangladesh avoid follow on
Mashrafe Mortaza launches the ball into orbit, Bangladesh v Sri Lanka, 2nd Test, Chittagong, 2nd day, January 4, 20092nd Day
Bangladesh tailender Mashrafe bin Mortaza hit a remarkable half century on Sunday to steer the hosts away from a follow-on, but Sri Lanka still finished day two of the second Test in a commanding position.
Sri Lanka was bowled out for 384 early Saturday and was in a prime position to enforce the follow-on when Bangladesh slid to 145-9 in reply.
However Mortaza (63) and No. 11 Shahadat Hossain put on 63 runs for the final wicket - of which Hossain contributed just five - to avoid the follow-on.
At stumps, Sri Lanka was 13-0 in its second innings.
Bangladesh started the day promisingly, taking the last four Sri Lanka wickets for only eight runs within 25 of the start of play, but their batting followed the pattern of the first Test, getting starts but being unable to form any good partnerships.
Sri Lanka paceman Chaminda Vaas (2-21) got opener Tamim Iqbal (0) caught behind by Prasanna Jayawardene without a run on the board and then trapped Imrul Kayes (6) lbw. Spinner Ajantha Mendis removed Raqibal Hasan for a duck to have the home side at 33-3.
Junaid Siddique and captain Mohammad Ashraful put on 32 runs for the fourth wicket before Dilhara Fernando bowled Siddique (28).
Bangladesh slumped to 90-6 after Mendis claimed lbw wickets with successive balls, removing Mehrab Hossain (18) and Shakib Al Hasan (0).
Ashraful (45)and wicketkeeper Mushfiqur Rahim raised the score to 122 when the captain was caught behind off Muttiah Muralitharan.
After tea, Rahim (21) was next to go, stumped by his counterpart Jayawardene off Mendis. Then Muralitharan had Enamul Haque (4) caught behind and Bangladesh looked condemned to a follow-on.
However Mortaza then took over, with his spirited 63 coming off 89 balls with eight fours and two sixes. He was caught by Tillakaratne Dilshan off Muralitharan trying for another big hit.
It was the first Test half-century for Mortaza, who finished with 3-58 with the ball.
Mendis returned figures of 4-71, and his spin partner Muralitharan took 3-62
Sri Lanka strike back as Bangladesh struggle
Daily Nation, Kenya
Sri Lanka on top in Test despite Mortaza's defiance
AFP
Mortaza believes comeback still possible
CricInfo.com, UK
Sri Lanka leave Test rivals in a spin
CNN International
Bangladesh avoid follow on but Sri Lanka on top
Reuters India, India
Saturday, January 3, 2009
Dilshan leads Sri Lanka
Tillakratne Dilshan hit an unbeaten 95 to take Sri Lanka to 229-5 at tea on the opening day of the second and final Test against Bangladesh here on Saturday.
The middle-order batsman smashed two sixes and 14 fours in his entertaining 81-ball knock to steady the visitors, tottering at 75-4 after skipper Mahela Jayawardene elected to bat.
Dilshan also shared a 119-run stand for the fifth wicket with opener Malinda Warnapura (63) to lead a remarkable fightback by the visitors.
Warnapura hit six fours in his patient 151-ball effort before being trapped leg-before by part-time spinner Mohammad Ashraful.
The Bangladeshi bowlers struggled for most part of the afternoon as they took just one wicket, that of Thilan Samarweera (19), while conceding 163 runs off 30 overs.
Samarweera inside-edged a Shahadat Hossain delivery on to his stumps to squander a good start.
Hossain, however, was severely punished by Dilshan who smashed one six and three fours in one over by the paceman.
Dilshan also enjoyed a slice of luck when he was dropped on 82 off Mehrab Hossain, with Junaid Siddique grassing a catch at first slip.
Earlier paceman Mashrafe Mortaza picked two wickets in his first two overs to make early inroads into the Sri Lankan batting line-up.
Mortaza trapped opener Prasanna Jayawardene leg-before for no score before removing Kumar Sangakkara (five), who played the delivery on to his stumps.
The hosts then earned the big wicket of the Sri Lanka captain when Shakib Al Hasan induced a thin edge which was caught by wicket-keeper Mushfiqur Rahim.
Jayawardene, playing his 100th Test, made 11 off 46 balls with one four.
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
Brave Bangladesh lost 1st test against SriLanka by 107 runs
Shakib Al Hasan holds the Man-of-the-Match award , Bangladesh v Sri Lanka, 1st Test, Dhaka, 5th day, December 31, 20085th Day
Sri Lanka 293 (Samaraweera 90, Vandort 44, Shakib 5-70) and 405 for 6 dec (Mahela Jayawardene 166, Sangakkara 67) beat Bangladesh 178 (Kayes 33, Muralitharan 6-49) and 413 (Ashraful 101, Shakib 96, Muralitharan 4-141) by 107 runs
Bangladesh made a fight of it but Sri Lanka ultimately won the first cricket Test on Wednesday, denying a spirited effort by the host side.Chasing 521 for victory, Bangladesh looked like it had a chance to pull off an extraordinary victory when it moved to 403-6, but lost its last four wickets for just 10 runs, giving Sri Lanka a 107-run win.Bangladesh captain Mohammad Ashraful recorded his fifth Test century and Shakib Al Hasan made 96 to give Bangladesh an outside chance at a rare Test win, while Muttiah Muralitharan took 4-141 to finish with 10 wickets for the match.Resuming at 254-5, Bangladesh's run chase suffered a jolt when Ashraful was trapped lbw by Chaminda Vaas in the day's first session.But Shakib Al Hasan took over the chief responsibility from the captain and shared a 111-run stand for the seventh wicket with wicketkeeper Mushfiqur Rahim.Hasan was bowled by Dammika Prasad just four runs of a century, while Rahim (61) was caught by Tilakaratne Dilshan off Muralitharan, with the final two wickets then falling quickly.Ashraful scored his fourth 100 against Sri Lanka since becoming the youngest Test century-scorer at Colombo on his international debut in 2001 at age 17. His innings included 16 boundaries.
Jayawardene praises Bangladesh fight
CricInfo.com, UK
Sri Lanka see off brave Bangladesh by 107 runs
Rediff, India
Sri Lanka repel Bangladesh charge
The Press Association
Ashraful century leads Bangladesh fightback
International Herald Tribune
Bangladesh Fall Short Despite Ashraful Century
Cricket World, UK
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Ashraful is on song
Mohammad Ashraful takes a run, Bangladesh v Sri Lanka, 1st Test, Dhaka, 4th day, December 30, 20084rd Day
Captain Mohammad Ashraful hit an unbeaten half-century Tuesday to leave Bangladesh needing another 267 runs to beat Sri Lanka on the final day of the first cricket Test with six wickets in hand.
Muttiah Muralitharan claimed three wickets before an unbeaten 74-run sixth-wicket stand between Ashraful (70) and Shakib Al Hasan (34) boosted Bangladesh to 254-5 by stumps on the fourth day. The hosts had been floundering at 150-4 at tea.
Ashraful's eighth Test 50 contained 11 fours in 153 balls, and also ushered him into the 2,000-run club in his 47th match.
Ashraful had become the youngest Test century-scorer against Sri Lanka in Colombo on his international debut in 2001 at age 17.
Earlier, Sri Lanka declared its second innings before lunch at 405-6, anchored by captain Mahela Jayawardene's 166.
Bangladesh's run chase started badly when opener Imrul Kayes was run out for 13.
Tamim Iqbal and Junaid Siddique took the score to 72 in the second session before Iqbal was caught by Jayawardene off Dammika Prasad for 47.
Siddique and Raqibul Hasan's third-wicket stand brought 52 runs until Siddique (37) was also caught by Jayawardene, this time off Muralitharan.
Muralitharan claimed his second wicket when he bowled Hasan for 24. He also dismissed Mehrab Hossain for 23 after tea.
Muralitharan finished the day with figures of 3-85 off 28 overs.
Resuming on 291-4 after a break day Monday for the Bangladesh election, Jayawardene added 37 to his overnight score of 129 before Siddique caught him off Mehrab Hossain. Jayawardene's 24th test century came off 269 balls with 19 boundaries and one six.
Tillakaratne Dilshan hit 47 before he was caught behind by Mushfiqur Rahim off Shakib Al Hasan, while Prasanna Jayawardene (3) and Chaminda Vaas (15) were unbeaten when Sri Lanka declared its innings.
Mashrafe bin Mortaza and Mehrab Hossain took two wickets apiece, while Mahbubul Alam and Shakib Al Hasan got one each.
Cricket- Sri Lanka v Bangladesh first test scoreboardSri Lanka declares at 405 takes commanding lead
CricInfo.com
Cricket-Bangladesh (178&)254-5 v S Lanka (293&405-6 dec) - close
Reuters.uk, UK
Saturday, December 27, 2008
SriLanka firmly in control
Muttiah Muralitharan appeals, Bangladesh v Sri Lanka, 1st Test, Mirpur, 1st day, December 26, 20082nd Day
Sri Lanka's old guard, Muttiah Muralitharan and Chaminda Vaas, struck back on the second day of the first Test against Bangladesh to put their side firmly in control.
The pair claimed five and two wickets respectively, leaving the hosts on 177 for nine at stumps and continuing a fightback which began as Sri Lanka took their total close to 300 before being bowled out by lunch in Mirpur.
Vaas struck a stubborn 37, supporting Thilan Samaraweera (90) as the pair put on 99 for the seventh wicket to take the tourists to 293, despite figures of five for 70 from Shakib Al Hasan.
Resuming on 172 for six, the hosts began the morning session looking to wrap up the Sri Lankan innings in short order but found Samaraweera and Vaas resolute obstacles.
Vaas cracked the first boundary of the day in just the third over when he cut Shahadat Hossain to the fence before giving Al Hasan the same treatment.
Samaraweera then took over, punishing Mahbubul Alam with consecutive fours as Sri Lanka forged past 200. The 32-year-old then whipped Al Hasan through midwicket for his eighth boundary to bring up his 16th Test fifty from 83 balls.
Mashrafe Mortaza made the breakthrough with the new ball, getting one to move one away from Vaas and a thin edge carried through to wicketkeeper Mushfiqur Rahim to leave Sri Lanka 270 for seven.
Shakib then removed Dammika Prasad for three and Rangana Herath was run out, before the spinner removed Samaraweera to end the innings.
Bangladesh began their reply confidently, reaching 44 before Tamim Iqbal (17) gloved Muralitharan to Malinda Warnapura at short leg.
It was a steady stream after that, with Imrul Kayes (33) falling to a Vaas short ball and Mohammad Ashraful (12) finding Tillakaratne Dilshan with an uppish drive to give the seamer his second.
Muralitharan then bowled Junaid Siddique for 29 in the last over before tea, going on to complete his haul of five for 48 as the hosts' tail capitulated.
Sri Lanka will want to nab the final wicket quickly on Sunday, and get going with their second inning.
Shakib strikes leave SL in trouble
Bangladesh loses 9 wickets in run chase
Bangladesh fold to Muralitharan
Friday, December 26, 2008
Sakib put pressure on Sri Lanka
Mohammad Ashraful has a word with Shahadat Hossain, Bangladesh v Sri Lanka, 1st Test, Mirpur, 1st day, December 26, 20081st Day
Shakib Al Hasan and Shahadat Hossain shared five quick wickets to spark Sri Lanka's collapse on the opening day of the first Test against Bangladesh here on Friday.Left-arm spinner Hasan grabbed 3-43 and seamer Hossain 2-47 as Sri Lanka slipped from a healthy 119-1 to 172-6 at stumps after electing to bat.Thilan Samaraweera was unbeaten on 20 and Chaminda Vaas had yet to open his account when the day's play was called off due to bad light.Sri Lanka were on course for a big total following a 95-run stand for the second wicket between opener Michael Vandort (44) and Kumar Sangakkara (43) before faltering against the spin-pace combination.Hasan started the slide when he had Sangakkara caught by skipper Mohammad Ashraful at mid-wicket. The Sri Lankan hit seven fours, including two in the spinner's one over.Vandort fell two overs later, top-edging a pull off Hossain to be caught by Hasan at mid-wicket. His 124-ball knock contained a six over long-on off Hasan.Hasan then bowled skipper Mahela Jayawardene (three) and Tillakaratne Dilshan (14) to put Sri Lanka under pressure.Hossain's second victim was wicket-keeper Prasanna Jayawardene (three), who was caught by Tamim Iqbal at fine-leg while attepting to pull.Only 12 overs were possible in the morning session after a delayed start due to heavy fog.The hosts denied Sri Lanka a solid start when paceman Mashrafe Mortaza trapped Malinda Warnapura (14) leg-before in the ninth over with a delivery that came in sharply.
Cricket-Sri Lanka v Bangladesh first test scoreboard
Bangladesh v Sri Lanka, 1st Test, Mirpur
Bangladesh claims 6 wickets vs. Sri Lanka
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
Ranatunga sacked
Sri Lanka's sports minister Gamini Lokuge has dissolved the interim administration of Sri Lanka Cricket, headed by Arjuna Ranatunga, saying the situation at SLC demanded an immediate change.
The sports secretary, S Liyanagama, will oversee the SLC administration until a decision is taken - within the next week, Lokuge said - on whether to call for elections or to appoint another interim administration.
"Arjuna Ranatunga has not been cooperating with the company or the players," Lokuge was quoted as saying by PTI. "We tried to sort it out but could not and he has been removed."
The immediate issue was the sacking of 16 SLC employees by Ranatunga last week. At the time, SLC officials explained the decision by saying those sacked were holding positions no longer required by the organisation. However, the decision was apparently taken without informing the minister, directly contravening his order that he be consulted on every move.
Ranatunga, appointed to the post in January 2008 after Jayantha Dharmadasa decided to step down, has had a controversial tenure. Perhaps his most controversial decision was negotiating a tour of England by the senior team that would overlap with the second season of the IPL, to which many of the players are contracted. Ranatunga said his cash-strapped board badly needed the US$2 million which the ECB was offering as guarantee money for the tour. After a protracted tussle, the tour was eventually called off with West Indies slotted in to replace Sri Lanka.
He has been a vocal critic of the IPL, once comparing it once to instant noodles, and antagonised the Indian board by stating that India lost the first Test to Sri Lanka in July because they played too much Twenty20 cricket. He also sought tighter control for the national board over player contracts with the IPL.
In September, the SLC broke ranks with the official cricketing establishment by deciding to allow five cricketers and an umpire who had signed up for the unauthorised ICL to play domestic cricket.
Ranatunga met President Mahinda Rajapakse on Tuesday and it was widely speculated that he would be given a ministerial post.
from cricinfo
Sri Lanka VS Bangladesh Cricket Board XI
Having resumed on the final day on 36 for two, the visitors went on to make 316 all out in the first innings, with Tillakaratne Dilshan and Prasanna Jayawardene striking half centuries at the Bangladesh Krira Shikkha Protisthan ground. After the first day's play was called off due to foggy condition, Bangladesh were skittled out for just 88 on the second day on Monday.
The Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium at Mirpur will host the first Test on Dec 26-31.
Pacer Shahadat Hossain removed opener Michael Vandort, who fell without adding to his overnight score of 17. But captain Mahela Jayawardene and Thilan Samaraweera repaired the damage to take their side to 87 for four before the latter fell to pacer Saikat Ali for 19.
Six balls later, Saikat again struck to remove Jayawardene, who made an 88-ball 43, to peg the visitors back. But Dilshan along with Prasanna kept the attack of the local selection at bay for the sixth wicket. They together contributed 158 runs before both batsmen retired to allow other batsmen to have some batting practice.
Dilshan struck 88 off 139 balls studded with seven fours and three sixes, while Prasanna hit a 126-ball 70 that included six fours. Later, Chaminda Vaas (24 not out), Dhamika Prasad (14), Farveez Maharoof (7) and Rangana Herath (0) batted before spinner Raihanuddin Arafat cleaned the tail removing the last three batsmen in a row. Arafat and Shahadat grabbed three wickets each for 37 and 63.
from BDnews 24.com
Thursday, December 11, 2008
Sri Lanka tour of Bangladesh, 2008-09
Mendis to miss Bangladesh Tests
Mendis will be replaced by Rangana Herath for the two-match series, which starts in Mirpur on 26 December. But he hopes to play in the triangular one-day series, also involving Zimbabwe, which follows in January.
He took 26 wickets at a cost of only 18 runs each, breaking former England seam bowler Alec Bedser's 62-year-old record for the most victims in a three-match series.
Sri Lanka have won all 10 previous Test meetings with Bangladesh and, despite Mendis's absence, will be confident of extending that run.
Saturday, December 6, 2008
Six day test
The rest day, which has been shelved by the game's rule-makers since the mid-1990s, will take place on December 29, the day of the national parliamentary election.
It falls on the fourth day of the originally scheduled first Test that begins on December 26.
Sri Lanka will arrive in the capital on December 19 to play two Tests and a tri-nation one-day series that also includes Zimbabwe who will arrive in Dhaka on January 4.
The hectic home schedule will kick-off with a three-day match between Sri Lanka and a local selection which will start on December 21 in BKSP.
Zimbabwe will play their tour opener three-day match against GP-BCB National Cricket Academy from January 6 at the Shaheed Chandu Stadium in Bogra and they will play three more one-day internationals against the Tigers after the tri-nation series.
On the other hand the national selectors will first announce the Test team for the two-match series against Sri Lanka after the completion of the ninth round of National Cricket League matches.
The Tigers will play the penultimate round of the country's lone first-class competition before another tough challenge against the formidable Lankans and after that the national cricketers will practice in a weeklong camp under the guidance of Jamie Siddons who returns from vacation on January 13.
"We will announce the Test squad after the ninth round matches. There is however hardly any chance to see any changes in the team except if someone got injured," said chief selector Rafiqul Alam yesterday.
There has been talk about uncapped paceman Rubel Hossain and the replacement of left-arm spinner Abdur Razzak, who has been suspended from international cricket due to his illegal action but Rafiqul ruled out the chances of any newcomers.
"Rubel just returned to action in the last round of the national league and he has to play more cricket in domestic level to get back his rhythm and we are still not thinking about the replacement of Razzak," Rafiqul added.
Meanwhile, Bangladesh's planned tour of the West Indies in April has been rescheduled for June and July as both parties have other lucrative commitments during that time.
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Sri Lanka win Series, 3rd One Day International
Sri Lanka 171-7 (Sangakkara 57, Mupariwa 4-39, Chigumbura 3-37) beat
Zimbabwe 166-7 (Masakadza 77, Murailtharan 2-20) by five runs
Sunday, October 26, 2008
Indian board withdraws financial help for Sri Lanka
Indian officials were upset that news of the confidential offer had been leaked to the media, according to a document seen by Reuters that gave details of a meeting between the Board of Cricket Control in India (BCCI) and Sri Lankan Cricket (SLC).
It accused Sri Lanka's board of being "hostile" and said India was putting on hold all forthcoming tours with Sri Lanka, as detailed in the International Cricket Council's (ICC) future tours programme until 2012.
The Indian board offered financial help to Sri Lanka after a standoff between the SLC and its top players over next year's proposed tour to England.
SLC chairman Arjuna Ranatunga is adamant that the tour to England should go ahead in April and May even though it clashes with the lucrative Indian Premier League (IPL) in which many leading cricketers are keen to play.
Ranatunga has said that while the IPL means financial gains for players the England tour would help to boost the financial position of the cash-strapped SLC.
"The BCCI was very disturbed that the proposal they have made to Sri Lanka cricket in respect with the IPL with much confidentiality was released to the media," the document stated.