Mushfiqur ton guides Bangladesh to lead

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AFP 

Chittagong, May 19: Mushfiqur Rahim struck his eighth Test century and became the first Bangladeshi to pass 5,000 runs as the hosts took the upper hand in the first Test against Sri Lanka in Chittagong on Wednesday.

Bangladesh were all out for 465 runs with a first-innings lead of 29 when last man Shoriful Islam was unable to carry on his innings after a blow to the hand while batting. Sri Lanka lost two wickets in the second innings. 

They were at 39 at the stump with Captain Dimuth Karunaratne not out 18 at the crease. Sri Lanka lost Oshada Fernando (19) and Lasith Embuldeniya (2).

Mushfiqur earlier made the most significant contribution in Bangladesh's innings on the fourth day when he made 105 off 282 balls before Lasith Embuldeniya bowled him in the third over of the final session.

Pace bowler Kasun Rajitha led the Sri Lankan bowling attack with 4-60, playing the match as a concussion substitute for Vishwa Fernando.

Rajitha dismissed Liton Das and Tamim Iqbal in the first two balls after lunch before Asitha Fernando removed Shakib Al Hasan for 26 to halt Bangladesh's progress.

The hosts were hoping for some quick runs before a possible declaration after Liton and Mushfiqur survived the opening session of the day to share 165 runs for the third wicket.

But Liton fell for 88 right after the break chasing a Rajitha ball wide outside the off-stump only to edge to wicketkeeper Niroshan Dickwella.

Tamim, who retired after scoring 133 runs on the third day, returned after Liton's dismissal but survived just one ball.

Rajitha swung the ball sharply in to uproot the middle stump as Tamim ended his fine, 218-ball innings that featured 15 boundaries. Mushfiqur glanced Fernando for his fourth boundary to bring up his hundred, having passed 5,000 Test runs earlier in the morning session.

The 35-year old right-hander needed 15 runs to reach the milestone when starting the day's play on 53, but was frustrated for half an hour as play was delayed by a wet outfield before Bangladesh resumed on 318-3.

Mushfiqur reached the mark when he nudged Fernando towards fine-leg for two runs, to cheers from a sparse crowd at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium.

His dismissal was followed by Taijul Islam's 20 off 45 balls.

Fernando, the successful bowler who bagged 3-72, removed Taijul before Sri Lanka wrapped up the Bangladesh innings.

 

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