Upul Tharanga struck his maiden Test century on Thursday as Sri Lanka recovered from an early stutter to take command on the second day of the second Test match against Bangladesh.
Tharanga hit an unbeaten 160 to power Sri Lanka to 302-8 at stumps, along with tail-ender Lasith Malinga on 12. The total gave Sri Lanka a 68-run lead after Bangladesh made 234 in their first innings.
The left-hand opener, playing in only his third Test, smashed 19 boundaries and two sixes in the 297-ball knock, which took 429 minutes.
He shared a vital 124-run fifth-wicket stand with captain Mahela Jayawardene, who was dismissed on 49 by Mohammad Ashraful, just before tea.
Jayawardene hit seven boundaries off 105 balls before becoming the only wicket to fall in the second session.
Tharanga then shared a 65-run sixth-wicket partnership with Tilakaratne Dilshan (31). Dilshan’s dismissal — bowled by spinner Mohammad Rafique — saw a lower-order collapse when Sri Lanka lost three quick wickets.
Malinga arrived at the crease with Sri Lanka reduced to 263-8 after Farveez Maharoof (7) and Dilhara Fernando (5) were removed by spinner Enamul Haque.
Earlier, Tharanga’s 78-run stand with Jayawardene in the first session came after pace bowler Shahadat Hossain rocked Sri Lanka, dismissing overnight batsman Thilan Samaraweera for 20 and his replacement Kumar Sangakkara for a duck.
The dismissals reduced Sri Lanka to 43-4 before Jayawardene joined Tharanga to steer the team out of trouble.
Samaraweera edged an Hossain delivery to wicketkeeper Khaled Mashud, while in-form batsman Sangakkara was dismissed lbw.
Hossain returned figures of 3-81 in 20 overs.
On Wednesday, Sri Lankan off-spinner Muttiah Muralitharan claimed his 50th five-wicket haul on the opening day of the final cricket Test. — Sapa-AP