Murali puts Bangladesh in a spin

Muttiah Muralitharan claimed another five wickets against Bangladesh © Getty Images

Bangladesh were once again undone by their nemesis, Muttiah Muralitharan, as they slipped to 177 for nine in the first Test against Sri Lanka.

Muralitharan took his wickets total against the Tigers to 81 at a miserly 11.8 with yet another five-wicket haul in Mirpur.

Bangladesh began the day in a promising position with the tourists on 172 for six, but closed 116 runs behind with one wicket remaining.

The turnaround started when Thilan Samaraweera (90) and Chaminda Vaas (37) put on 99 for the seventh wicket to take the tourists to 293, despite figures of 5-70 from Shakib Al-Hasan.

The hosts began the morning session looking to wrap up the Sri Lanka innings 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.

Thilan Samaraweera held things together for Sri Lanka with a fine 90 © Getty Images

Al-Hasan dismissed 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 to complete an excellent session for Sri Lanka.

The parade continued after the break as a number of Bangladesh batsmen got starts but failed to make meaningful contributions.

Raqibul Hasan (11) was bowled by Prasad and Herath drew an indudicious stroke from Mehrab Hossain Jnr which saw him caught at slip for 29.

Murali then removed Al-Hasan (26) and Mortaza in successive balls, before having Hossain stumped just before the close for his 66th five-wicket haul in Tests.