Nazrana Chowdhury
BDNEWS Sports Writer
Chittagong, Feb 25 (BDNEWS) – A superb century by Sangakkara helped Sri Lanka to give hosts Bangladesh a resound reply in the one-dayer series when the tourists trounced Bangladesh by 78 runs in the third and last ODI at the port city Saturday.
It was a sweet revenge of the their defeat in the second ODI in Bogra on February 22. They snatched the series 2-1.
The first Test between the two sides begins February 28 at the same venue.
Bangladesh were 231 for nine in 50 overs in reply to the visitors' a mammoth 309 for seven.
Sangakkara hit a classic 109 with 11 boundaries. The consistent Sri Lankan batsman was adjudged the Man of the Match and Man of the Series awards. It was his fifth ODI century.
Bangladesh went to far away to achieve a rear feat of clinching the ODI series against Sri Lanka as predicted by captain Habibul Bashar. The spectators of the port city, who gathered at the Chittagong divisional stadium to see the batting and bowling of the local stars, started leaving the stadium almost half way of Bangladesh innings.
The starting scenario of Sri Lanka, however, was very different as the host pacers began their devastating bowling to reduce Sri Lanka 17 for two in 8.1 overs by sending back both the openers Upal Tharanga and dangerous Sanath Jayasuriya. Mashrafee Bin Mortaza was the lucky bowler to victimise both the Lankans.
The fellow bowlers failed to follow Mortaza as the Sri Lankan batsmen punished them cruelly despite starting slowly.
Mashrafee's first spell was luminously seen 6-2-9-2, but he was miserably punished in his last four overs and conceded 62 runs to allow the Sri Lanka to reach an improbable total.
Not only Mashrafee was beaten, pacer Tapash Kumar Baisya also conceded 43 runs in five overs to open the way of super-sub Manjarul Islam Rana, who also gave 15 runs in two overs.
After departure of Tharanga and Jayasuriya, skipper Mahela Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakkara repaired the Sri Lankan initial damage to put a 75-run for the third wicket stand before being separated on 92.
Jayawardene completed hit his 33rd ODI fifty to score 51 off 56 that included eight boundaries before being caught and bowled by Mohammad Rafique.
Later Sangakkara and Lokuarachchi added a splendid 104 for the fourth wicket stand before breaking the stand by Rafique, who removed Lokuarachchi for a fine 69 off 57 balls that included four fours and three massive sixes.
The Sri Lankan destroyed Bangladesh's hope of clinching the series piling up 114 runs in the last 10 overs.
Lower order Maharoof played a hurricane 27 off nine balls that contained three sixes and one fours while Kapugedera hammered 16 off nine balls featuring one fours and one six.
In reply, Bangladesh openers Javed Omar and Shahriar Nafees also started steadily, but Nafees chose a wrong ball to pull and lifted an easy catch to Dilshan off debutant Dammika Prasad, who sent back Aftab Ahmed (0) in his very next delivery to raise the hope of a hattrick.
However, Mohammad Ashraful disappointed Prasad to defend the fifth ball of his first over and was Bangladesh most successful batsman scoring 64 off 67 balls featuring 11 boundaries. Dammika Prasad finished two for 30 in six overs.
The fourth wicket stand between Ashraful and Habibul Bashar put 86 runs before Bashar (31 off 54) was caught at Jayawardene off Jayasuriya.
Manjarul Islam Rana (23), Mohammad Rafique (22), Khaled Mashud (19 not out) and Mashrafee Bin Mortaza (19) were other notable scorers.
Dilshan and Lokuarachchi took two wickets for 14 and 52 respectively.
Brief score: Sri Lanka – 309 for seven in 50 overs (Tharanga 0, Jayasuriya 4, Sangakkara 109, Jayawardene 51, Lokuarachchi 69, Dilshan 22, Kapugedera 16, Maharoof 27 not out, Bandara 3 not out, extras 8, Rafique 3/61, Sayed Rasel 2/46 and Mashrafee 2/71).
Bangladesh – 231 for nine in 50 overs (Javed Omar 24, Shahriar Nafees 13, Aftab Ahmed 0, Ashraful 64, Habibul Bashar 31, Alok Kapali 5, Rafique 22, Manjarul Islam 23, Khaled Mahmud 19 not out, Mashrafee 19, Syed Rasel 2 not out, extras 9, Dilshan 2/14, Prasad 2/30, Lokuarachchi 2/52, Perera 1/23, Jayasuriya 1/31 and Bandara 1/52).
BDNEWS/1818 hrs
