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Ruthless Sri Lanka batter Bangladesh

Pakistani umpire Asad Rauf, right, and Sri Lanka batsman Kumar Sangakkara, left, keep an eye on Bangladesh bowler Shahadat Hassain as he delivers a ball during the second day of the second Test match between Sri Lanka and Bangladesh at the P. Saravanamuttu Stadium in Colombo, Sri Lanka, on Wednesday. PHOTO: AFP

Kumar Sangakkara hit 200 not out as ruthless Sri Lanka set themselves up for another massive victory over Bangladesh in the second cricket Test here yesterday.

Sri Lankan captain Mahela Jayawardene declared his team's first innings at 451-6 soon after Sangakkara reached his fifth double century in the final session of the second day's play.

Bangladesh, trailing by 389 runs, were reduced to 69-4 in their second knock by stumps despite a brisk start of 48 runs in six overs by openers Javed Omar and Shahriar Nafees.

The innings fell apart when Chaminda Vaas had Nafees caught behind for 20 and trapped Omar leg-before for a 23-ball 28.

Dilhara Fernando dismissed Rajin Saleh for zero and Mehrab Hossain for eight to leave Bangladesh facing another big defeat after losing last week's first Test by an innings and 234 runs.

Captain Mohammad Ashraful (seven) and his predecessor Habibul Bashar (three) were at the crease when play ended.

Left-handed Sangakkara, who took a break from his services with English county Warwickshire to play in the home series, reached his 13th Test century shortly before lunch by lofting Mohammad Rafique for a six.

He anchored the innings for eight hours with an unblemished knock that contained 20 boundaries and two sixes.

Sangakkara was involved in three big stands, adding 128 for the second wicket with Malinda Warnapura, 98 for the third with skipper Mahela Jayawardene and 92 for the fourth with Chamara Silva.

Warnapura was the lone batsman to be dismissed in the extended morning session for 82 after Sri Lanka resumed at their overnight score of 154-1.

Warnapura, nephew of Sri Lanka's first Test captain Bandula Warnapura, had failed to get off the mark on his debut in the opening Test.

The left-hander made amends by making 79 on Tuesday, but added only three more runs in 40 minutes on the second morning when he miscued a hook off Shahadat Hossain to be caught at mid-wicket.
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