Dilhara (4/24) bowls Sri Lanka to a 70 run win

Chris DHAMBARAGE

CRICKET: Paceman Dilhara Fernando produced a dream spell of bowling with a four wicket burst to steer Sri Lanka to a convincing 70 run victory over Bangladesh in the first one-day international played at the P. Saravanamuttu Stadium yesterday.

The twenty eight year old fast bowler returned career best figures of four wickets for 24 runs as Bangladesh were dismissed for 164 while chasing Sri Lanka's modest total of 234 for 6.

Fernando who came into the scene as the first change bowler turned the game in Sri Lanka's favour almost single handedly with a magnificent spell of bowling that earned him the man of the match award.

Fernando came into bowl at a critical stage of the innings when Bangladesh were cruising along after the openers had provided them with a decent start.

Tamim Iqbal and Shahiriar Nafeez looked like taking Bangladesh home safely having negotiated the two opening bowlers Lasith Malinga and Farveez Maharoof quite successfully.

But Dilhara Fernando turned the game upside down in just one spell of superb seam bowling that send the Bangladesh team crashing from a promising 45 for no loss to 56 for 5 by the 15th over.

He had the difficult task of bowling at two well set batsmen who had laid the foundation in their attempt to register only their second victory against Sri Lanka.

Fernando successfully dispatched a dangerous opening stand by removing opener Tamim Iqbal with a beautiful outswinger. In the same over he struck a vital blow by dismissing Thushar Imran with a delivery which came in.

Fernando also captured the prize wicket of skipper Mohamed Ashraful that completely sealed the game in Sri Lanka's favour. The Bangladesh captain completely misjudged a pull shot and skied one with Farveez Maharoof holding on to a brilliant catch at fine leg.

Fernando's lively spell certainly mesmerised the Bangladesh team as they never recovered from thereonwards although they managed to reach a respectable 164 runs at the end.

This was of course mainly due to some big hitting from the tailenders with Farhad Reza and Abdur Razzak making useful contributions.

All rounder Reza certainly provided some anxious moments to the Sri Lankans by hoisting three sixes and Razzaq also had three big sixes and one boundary as Bangladesh managed to reduce the deficit to a certain extent.

But the damage was done much earlier following Dilhara Fernando's excellent opening spell where he finished with 4 for 23 from seven overs with Farveez Maharoof and Lasith Malinga providing the back up support.

In fact Maharoof came back magnificently to finish off his spell successfully after being hit for three boundaries in one over by Shahiriar Nafeez.

Earlier Sri Lanka piled up a modest 234 for 6 from their 50 overs after been put into bat.

This was thanks to some solid batting from opener Upul Tharanga and Chamara Silva with both completing half centuries.

Sri Lanka were of course in real trouble at 67 for 3 but recovered to a great extent with Tharanga and Silva putting on a 83 run stand for the fourth wicket from 112 deliveries.

Bangladesh who lost the Test series three-nil recently came back strongly with left arm seamer Syed Rasel and paceman Mashrafe Mortaza causing early damage.

Sanath Jayasuriya (21), Kumar Sangakkara (16) and Jayawardene (two) all went cheaply before Tharanga and Silva came to their team's rescue with a fighting partnership.

Tharanga who was dropped by wicket keeper Rahim even before he had opened his account stroked seven boundaries in his ninth half century while Silva hit one six and eight fours during his top score of 65.

Altogether Bangladesh had a disappointing day on the field where they dropped three vital catches early in the match.

However Sri Lanka collected 70 runs in the last 10 overs, thanks to the batting of Tillakaratne Dilshan (24) and Jehan Mubarak (22 not out).

n fact Sri Lanka earlier decided to include Mubarak ahead of Chamara Kapugedera and also included Malinga Bandara in place of Upul Chandana.

SRI LANKA

U. Tharanga c Rahim b Reza 		 57
S. Jayasuriya b Rasel 			 21
K. Sangakkara c Rahim b Mortaza 	 16
M. Jayawardene c Hasan b Rasel 		  2
C. Silva lbw b Razzaq 			 65
T. Dilshan c Ashraful b Mortaza 	 24
J. Mubarak not out 			 22
F. Mahroof not out 			 16
Extras (lb-4, w-6, nb-1) 		 11
TOTAL (for six wkts, 50 overs) 		234

FALL OF WICKETS: 1-33 (Jayasuriya), 2-58 (Sangakkara), 
3-67 (Jayawardene), 4 150 (Tharanga), 5-190 (Silva), 6-206 (Dilshan).
BOWLING: Mortaza 10-1-31-2, Rasel 10-2-43-2, Razzaq 10-0-48-1, 
Reza 10-0-42-1, Hasan 8-0-50-0, Ahmed 2-0-16-0.


BANGLADESH

Shahriar Nafees c Silva b Fernando 	 33 
Tamim Iqbal c Jayawardene b Fernando 	 11
Tushar Imran lbw b Fernando 		  0
Shakib-Al Hasan c Sangakkara b Mahroof 	  0
Mohammed Ashraful c Mahroof b Fernando 	  4
Aftab Ahmed lbw b Malinga 		 16
Mushfiqur Rahim c Tharanga b Bandara 	 28
Farhad Reza c Tharanga b Jayasuriya 	 28
Mashrafe Mortaza c and b Bandara 	  6
Abdur Razzaq run out 			 28
Syed Rasel not out  			  1
Extras (lb-3, w-5, nb-1, 40.3 overs) 	  9
TOTAL (all out) 			164

FALL OF WICKETS: 1-45 (Iqbal), 2-46 (Tushar), 3-47 (Hasan),
4-52 (Ashraful),  5-56 (Nafees), 6-76 (Ahmed), 7-118 (Reza), 
8-131 (Mortaza), 9-148 (Rahim).
BOWLING: Mahroof 10-3-32-1, Malinga 7-0-17-1, Fernando 9-1-24-4, 
Bandara 9-0-64-2, Jayasuriya 4-0-23-1, Dilshan 1-1-0-0, Mubarak 0.3-0-1-0.