Dilshan proves Tigers' nemesis

Thilan Samaraweera and Tillakaratne Dilshan after putting on 131 for the fifth wicket in Chittagong

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Impressive half-centuries from Tillakaratne Dilshan and Thilan Samaraweera helped put Sri Lanka firmly in control against Bangladesh on day three of the second Test in Chittagong.

The pair enjoyed an unbroken fifth-wicket stand of 131 as the tourists reached 296 for four at stumps to take a commanding lead of 472.

Dilshan, 81 not out going into day four, is 19 short of becoming only the fourth Sri Lankan, after Duleep Mendis, Asanka Gurusinha and Aravinda de Silva, to score hundreds in both innings of a Test, while Samaraweera will resume on 72.

Kumar Sangakkara also posted a patient 54 earlier in the day and Sri Lanka will now be confident of claiming a series whitewash after winning the opening Test by 107 runs in Dhaka last week.

Having bowled out the home side for 208 yesterday, the tourists resumed day three on 13 without loss in their second innings.

Prasanna Jayawardene and Malinda Warnapura took the total to 55 before both lost their wickets in the space of three deliveries.

Jayawardene, the specialist wicketkeeper asked to open the batting, went for 28 when he chipped Mohammad Ashraful to short midwicket, where Shakib Al Hasan dived forward to take a fairly easy catch.

Warnapura joined Jayawardene in the pavilion at the start of the next over when he was trapped lbw by Shahadat Hossain for 27.

Dilshan is 19 short of becoming the fourth Sri Lankan to score twin hundreds in a Test match

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Sangakkara and skipper Mahela Jayawardene took their time to get going as they safely negotiated the remaining overs before lunch.

They continued to stretch Sri Lanka’s lead at the start of the middle session before Enamul Haque Jr broke a third-wicket stand of 68 by dismissing Mahela Jayawardene for 22. Imrul Kayes took the catch at short cover.

Sangakkara kept things going at the other end and recorded his 28th Test fifty with a boundary off Haque Jr.

But he fell just four overs later when a delivery from the Bangladesh captain found its way on to his stumps.

Samaraweera and first-innings centurion Dilshan then saw Sri Lanka through to tea before settling in for the duration of the final session.

Dilshan, in particular, appeared in a hurry to get runs on the board while Samaraweera showed more patience at the other end and seemed content to let his partner do the hard work.

Samaraweera was the first to bring up his fifty in the 75th over but Dilshan, who had rescued Sri Lanka with a stunning 162 in the first innings, quickly followed, his half-century coming off just 70 balls.

Haque Jr and Shahadat felt the full force of the partnership, conceding over 60 runs each, as the batsmen marched on towards the close of play.