Fernando burst sinks Bangladesh

Bangladesh 131 for 4 (Shahriar Nafees 51*) and 191 (Fernando 5-60) trail Sri Lanka 457 for 9 declared (Dilshan 168, Samaraweera 138, Vaas 65, Hossain 4-108, Rasel 4-129 ) by 135 runs
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
How they were out

Bangladesh are staring at their second three-day defeat of the series as they finished on 131 for 4 after losing 14 wickets on the second day at the P Saravanamuttu Stadium in Colombo. Dilhara Fernando was the destroyer-in-chief with 5 for 60 in the first innings and another brace of wickets in the second as Bangladesh still trail by 135 runs.

Bangladesh at least showed some application during an extended evening session as Mohammad Ashraful and Shariar Nafees halted a second-innings collapse with a 75-run partnership for the fourth wicket. Nafees dropped down the order in the second innings and battled hard for his maiden Test fifty but fell just before the close of play to Muttiah Muralitharan.

Ashraful, batting with uncharacteristic caution, much to the delight of coach Dav Whatmore who has been frustrated by his inconsistency, was on 21 not out. Bangladesh need him to press on and make a really big score if they are going to be able to make Sri Lanka bat again.

Ashraful was also the only top-order batsmen to offer resistance in the first innings, cracking a 41-ball 42 that included five fours and two sixes before Bangladesh were bowled out for 191. The rest of the team succumbed lamely - except Khaled Mashud who batted resolutely for his 26 - as Muralitharan (3 for 47) and Lasith Malinga (2 for 32) devoured the scraps that Fernando left behind.

Rumours were doing the rounds that Sri Lanka may bat again to give Sanath Jayasuriya a chance to shine in his 100th Test. But this would have flown in the face of the team ethic fostered by Tom Moody and Marvan Atapattu and Sri Lanka duly enforced the follow on soon after tea.

Chaminda Vaas, wicketless in the first innings, triggered a second-innings collapse as Javed Omar tried to pull a short ball from outside the off stump. Fernando followed up with the key scalp of Habibul Bashar, who was caught at backward point by a delighted Muralitharan, and Nafees Iqbal (30) who gloved a lifting delivery.

At that stage Bangladesh reeling on 56 for 3, with almost 25 overs left in the day, looked like they might capitulate. But Nafees recovered from a nervous start and battled hard for survival and then took the attack to Sri Lanka, hitting boundaries and forcing Atapattu into making frequent bowling changes. Unfortunately, for Bangladesh, Muralitharan snared him at slip just before stumps.

Earlier, Sri Lanka had opted to continue batting on the second morning despite having piled up 449 runs on the opening day. But the search for quick runs, and a possible first Test century for Vaas, was swiftly brought to a halt as Shahadat Hossain bowled Muralitharan for 24 and Syed Rasel bowled Vaas for 65.

The pitch still offered some life by the time Sri Lanka's bowlers started their work and Malinga began with an unplayable outswinger that whistled past Omar's defensive bat but had to wait until his third over before picking up his first scalp as Nafees edged a sharp ball behind.

Although Malinga looked threatening and Vaas probed away diligently, curving the ball in, it was Fernando, who bowled just four overs in the opening game of the series, that left Bangladesh on the ropes with a triple strike in the final hour before the break.

Bashar was his first victim as he top-edged an attempted hook and Vaas rushed in from the boundary ropes to take a fine tumbling catch. The breakthrough ended a 30-run stand and was followed soon after by the fall of Omar, who was caught on the crease and bowled by a in-dipper. Sangakkara clung to a superb one-handed diving catch in front of first slip to dismiss Iqbal.

Bangladesh, 80 for 4 at lunch, raced ahead as Ashraful showcased his bountiful natural talent with a string of cover drives and wristy leg side swats. But Fernando's slower ball deceived him and Atapattu calmly took a catch running backwards at mid-on. Aftab Ahmed (23) was then caught down the leg side off a gloved pull before Muralitharan and Malinga mopped up the lower order.

Muttiah Muralitharan b Hossain 24 (453 for 8)
Missed ball after ugly legside heave

Chaminda Vaas b Syed Rasel (457 for 9)
Beaten by full-length inswinger

Shariar Nafees c Sangakkara b Malinga 5 (16 for 1)
Felt for quick ball he could have left alone

Habibul Bashar c Vaas b Fernando 18 (46 for 2)
Top-edged attempted pull and fine tumbling catch at long leg

Javed Omar b Fernando 18 (52 for 3)
Caught crease-bound to ball that nipped back

Nafees Iqbal c Sangakkara b Fernando 5 (72 for 4)
Brilliant one-handed diving catch in front of slip

Mohammad Ashraful c Atapattu b Fernando 42 (115 for 5)
Deceived by slower ball and skied to mid on

Aftab Ahmed c Sangakkara b Fernando 23 (135 for 6)
Gloved attempted pull

Mohammad Rafique c Dilshan b Murali 6 (143 for 7)
Thin edge and caught bat-pad

Syed Rasel c Vaas b Murali 5 (157 for 8)
Drilled catch while trying to hit over the top

Shahadat Hossain c Sangakkara b Malinga 7 (166 for 9)
Skied ball for good, tumbling catch

Khaled Mashud st Sangakkara b Murali 26 (191 for 10)
Deceived by the doosra

Javed Omar c Atapattu b Vaas 9 (22 for 1)
Top edged attempted pull

Habibul Bashar c Muralitharan b Fernando 10 (44 for 2)
Skewed catch to deep gully

Nafees Iqbal b Sangakkara b Fernando 30 (56 for 3)
Gloved down the leg side

Shahriar Nafees c Samaraweera b Muralitharan 51 (131 for 4)
Edged to slip