Sri Lanka consolidate in second Test

Sri Lanka lost two quick wickets before reaching 95-2 in their second innings at lunch on the third day of the second Test against Bangladesh here today.

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The visitors, who made 384 in their first innings before bowling out Bangladesh for 208, took their overall lead to 271 with eight wickets in hand.

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The morning's first wicket fell when makeshift opener Prasanna Jayawardene offered a tame catch off part-time spinner Mohammad Ashraful to Shakib Al Hasan at short midwicket for 27.

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Paceman Shahadat Hossain then removed the other opening batsman Malinda Warnapura (28) two balls later, umpire Nigel Llong adjudging the batsman leg before wicket.

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TV replays, however, showed the ball pitching just outside the leg-stump line.

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Skipper Mahela Jayawardene, playing his 100th Test, and Kumar Sangakkara cautiously batted out the remaining overs till lunch to ensure no further setbacks.

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Jayawardene had faced as many as 80 balls in making eight while Sangakkara was on 28 off 47 balls with three fours, two of which he hit in one over by Shakib.

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The Sri Lankan captain needs 55 more runs to cross the 8,000-run milestone in Tests.

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Sri Lanka lead the two-Test series 1-0 after winning the opener in Dhaka by 107 runs.

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