Dilshan rescues Lanka with century

CRICKET: CHITTAGONG, Bangladesh, Jan 3, 2009 - Tillakaratne Dilshan smashed a superb 162 off 165 balls to lead Sri Lanka’s fightback on the opening day of the second and final Test against Bangladesh here on Saturday.

Dilshan hit two sixes and 21 fours for his sixth Test century as the visitors recovered from a shaky 75-4 to reach a healthy 371-6 in their first innings at stumps after electing to bat.

The middle-order batsman added 119 for the fifth wicket with opener Malinda Warnapura (63) and 173 for the next with Chamara Kapugedera (93 not out) to put Sri Lanka on course for a big total. Bangladesh’s bowlers tasted early successes, with paceman Mashrafe Mortaza (2-48) picking two wickets in his opening two overs and spinner Shakib Al Hasan getting rid of skipper Mahela Jayawardene (11), playing his 100th Test.

But Dilshan’s aggressive knock, backed by valuable support from Warnapura and Kapugedera, helped the visitors seize back the initiative.

Warnapura hit six fours in his 151-ball knock before being trapped leg-before by part-time spinner Mohammad Ashraful.

Kapugedera looked set for his maiden Test century, having already hit 12 fours and a six from 117 balls.

But it was Dilshan who punished the error-prone home bowlers the most, lofting paceman Shahadat Hossain for a six and then three fours in an over.

Sri Lanka’s batting flourished in the last two sessions as they added 306 in 63 overs for the loss of just three wickets.

Dilshan, dropped on 82 off Mehrab Hossain, was finally dismissed by left-arm spinner Enamul Haque when he was bowled while trying a shot through the mid-wicket.

Haque replaced paceman Mahbubul Alam for the only change in the Bangladesh side.

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

SRI LANKA - 1ST INNINGS
M. Warnapura lbw b Ashraful	 63
P. Jayawardene lbw b Mortaza	  0
K. Sangakkara b Mortaza	  	  5
M. Jayawardene c Rahim b Hasan	 11
T. Samarweera b S. Hossain	 19
T. Dilshan b Enamul		162
C. Kapugedera not out	 	 93
C. Vaas not out	  		  1	
Extras (b4, lb6, w1, nb6)	 17
Total (for six wickets)		371

FALL OF WICKETS: 1-1 (P. Jayawardene), 2-7 (Sangakkara), 3-39 
(M. Jayawardene), 4-75 (Samarweera), 5-194 (Warnapura), 6-367 (Dilshan).

BOWLING: Mortaza 20-7-48-2 (nb2), 
	 S. Hossain 14-0-80-1 (w1), 
	 Shakib 28-5-108-1 (nb1), 
	 Enamul 19-3-70-1 (nb3), 
	 M. Hossain 7-1-36-0, 
	 Ashraful 2-0-19-1.
rs: 90