Bangladesh struggle again

Farveez Maharoof celebrates the wicket of Habibul Bashar caught behind © Getty Images

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Bangladesh’s batsmen struggled once again on Wednesday in a rain-affected first day of the third Test with Sri Lanka in Kandy.

With the three-match series over as a contest following the hosts' comprehensive innings victories in the first two encounters, Bangladesh started reasonably well.

But they let a position of 50 for one slip to 72 for four by the time stumps were drawn after a day when the weather constantly intervened.

Sri Lanka had skittled out the tourists for just 89 and 62 respectively in the first innings of the first two meetings in Colombo, and again sought to seize early control when Mahela Jayawardene won his third successive toss and opted to field.

But Bangladesh seemed determined not to crumble for a third time when play got underway at Asgiriya International Stadium, and lost only one wicket - Javed Omar leg before wicket playing across the line to Lasith Malinga for eight - in the opening session.

Shahriar Nafees and Habibul Bashar were unbeaten on 16 and 18 respectively at lunch.

However, they could not continue the start and Habibul became second to perish when the score was on 50 when he gloved a ball from Farveez Maharoof to wicket-keeper Prasanna Jayawardene for 18.

Then Muttiah Muralitharan had his say, removing Rajin Saleh for a duck when the Bangladesh batsman edged to skipper Mahela Jayawardene at first slip.

He then removed Shahriar for 29 with Sujeewa de Silva taking the catch at mid-off after the Bangladesh batsman had struck four fours.

Skipper Mohammad Ashraful was unbeaten but yet to score when bad light forced a premature end to a rain-disrupted day. With him at the crease was Tushar Imran, who had made six.