Kumar Sangakkara’s maiden triple-century put Sri Lanka in a virtually impregnable position on day two of the second Test with Bangladesh.
Sangakkara swelled his overnight 160 to 319 of the tourists’ 587 all out at Chittagong, their second substantial first-innings score of the two-match series after posting 730 for six declared in Dhaka.
The Tigers, who lost the first Test by an innings and 248 runs, have so far fared better with the bat in this game, replying with 86 for one.
Sangakkara raised his ninth Test double-hundred with the second of two fours in a Mahmudullah over, advancing to the spinner for both boundaries. He added 90 with Kithuruwan Vithanage, who was lbw to Nasir Hossain for 35 in the next set of six. Shakib Al Hasan, Bangladesh’s best bowler on display, made it two wickets in as many overs by likewise ousting Dilruwan Perera.
Ajantha Mendis put on 100 alongside Sangakkara, who had just passed 250 when Shakib trapped the former in front for 47. Having been hit for two straight sixes in an over by Sangakkara, Shakib snared Suranga Lakmal in the same manner as Mendis for nought.
That left Sri Lanka nine down and prompted Sangakkara to accelerate, passing his previous best of 287 and then 300 with three leg-side boundaries off Shakib, the latter two maximums. He then slowed down but Nuwan Pradeep held up one end in a fifty partnership that finished when Sangakkara holed out to long-on off Nasir.
Shamsur Rahman and Imrul Kayes responded to Suranga Lakmal bowling Tamim Iqbal for a duck in the first over of the reply by making 45 and 36 respectively, although Kayes was dropped at mid-on by Pradeep.