Sports
Bangla-Lanka 2nd Test begins today
By Sports Reporter
Mon, 2 Jul 2007, 13:23:00

After conceding an innings and 234-run defeat to hosts Sri Lanka in the first Test, visiting Bangladesh team led by newly appointed skipper Mohammad Ashraful will face mighty Sri Lanka in the second Test which begins today at the Saravanamuttu Stadium in Colombo, the capital city of Sri Lanka.

After getting Test status in June 2000, Bangaldesh faced Sri Lanka in eight Test matches and Sri Lanka, the new powerhouse of world cricket, won all the Test matches.

Sarwar Imran, the assistant coach of Bangladesh team said, “Nothing has changed in our approach to Test cricket because we are making the same old mistakes. We have a bunch of talented cricketers but I think we are not mentally tough to sustain at this level.”

Habibul Bashar, who was replaced as captain for the Four by 22-year-old Mohammad Ashraful, said, “I am not frustrated with what happened at the SSC. We have two more Tests to go and this is a chance for us to show that we are not as bad as people are making us out to be.”

Bangladesh were skittled out for 89 in the first innings and then they recorded 227-3 in the second knock but the tigers lost their last seven wickets for 27 runs.

Sri Lanka, the runners-up of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2007 have won eight of their last 11 home Test matches, mainly through solid and strong top order batting and the genius of spin wizard Muttiah Muralitharan.

Besides, Sri Lanka team have two weapons one is Chaminda Vaas and the other is lasith Malinga. The two bowlers have ability to do anything in anytime.

Mattiah Muralitharan captured nine wickets in the first Test and was named man of the match.

Muralitharan grabbed 59 wickets in just seven Tests against Bangladesh. The wizard off-spinner goes into the second Test with 683 Test wickets, just 25 away from equalling retired Australian leg-spinner Shane Warne’s world record of 708 Test wickets.


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