Herath, Dananjaya weave Lankan win
DHAKA: Sri Lanka off-spinner Akila Dananjaya took eight wickets on his debut, including a maiden five-wicket haul in the second innings, to help his side to a 215-run win against Bangladesh in the second Test on Saturday and a 1-0 series win.
Chasing 339 for victory, Bangladesh were all out for 123 in their second innings in the second session of the third day of the match with Dananjaya taking 5-24 in just five overs.
Veteran left-arm spinner Rangana Herath also took 4-49 by eroding Bangladesh’s top half as the hosts capitulated after also being all out for 110 in their first innings.
With his four-wicket haul, 39-year-old Herath (415) passed Wasim Akram (414) for most Test wickets by a left-arm bowler.
Dananjaya had taken 3-20 in the first innings and ended up with the best figures for a Sri Lankan debutant.
Sri Lanka scored 222 in their first innings and were all out for 226 earlier on Saturday with Roshen Silva scoring half-centuries in both innings.
The first Test of the two-match series was drawn and Sri Lanka skipper Dinesh Chandimal was surprised that the hosts had gone into the deciding match at the Shere Bangla National Stadium on a turning track.
“This was a really good series. The first game was a nightmare for the bowlers and this one was a nightmare for the batters,” Chandimal said.
“The guys executed our game plans really well out in the middle. After the first game we thought the second pitch might be a turning wicket. We were surprised, because we have all the experienced spinners.”
Silva followed up his 56 in the first innings with an unbeaten 70 in the second and was adjudged the player of the match and the series.
Brief scores: Sri Lanka 222 and 226 (200-8 overnight) (R Silva 70*, M Rahman 3-49, T Islam 4-76) vs Bangladesh 110 and 123 (M Haque 33, R Herath 4-49, A Dananjaya 5-24)