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Sri Lanka posts an imposing total

K.C. Vijaya Kumar

Dilshan sets the pace, others carry on good work

— Photo: AP

SWEEPING SUCCESS:Sri Lankan Tillakaratne Dilshan was at his marauding best against Bangladesh

Dambulla: An opening blitz followed by a consolidation phase and a frenetic finish helped Sri Lanka post 312 for four in 50 overs against Bangladesh in the Asia Cup match at the Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium here on Friday.

The top-order weighed in with the runs while Tillakaratne Dilshan's 71 showed the way against a below-par attack.

The afternoon began with Sangakkara winning the toss and opting to bat while school children clutching free passes, broke into profuse applause. Joy multiplied in the stands as openers Dilshan and Upul Tharanga slotted the fifth gear with minimal fuss as the off-side field remained porous to well threaded shots in a 111-run partnership off 95 deliveries.

The rush of fours that cascaded from the broad bat of Dilshan (71, 51b, 11x4, 1x6) tested the fielders at cover and extra-cover. Dilshan, back in his aggressive element after a successful tour of Zimbabwe during the recent Tri-series, smashed the day's second delivery bowled by Mashrafe Mortaza.

No looking back

There was no looking back after that as Dilshan picked his spots with ease, melding power and placement in an array of drives as Mortaza and Syed Rasel felt the heat.

Bangladesh skipper Shakib Al Hasan brought himself on immediately to stem the flow of runs but Dilshan was equal to the task, driving and sweeping the left-arm spinner with alacrity while Tharanga (54) whetted his appetite, pulling Shafiul Islam past the ropes.

The first ten overs yielded 82 runs with Dilshan inflicting maximum damage on the drooping shoulders of the Bangladesh bowlers.

Seeing the host openers in flight, Shakib delayed the bowling Power Play and prised out Dilshan in the 16th over. A leading edge off a forcing shot towards the on-side bobbed up gently to a relieved Shakib and the skipper immediately enforced the Power Play from the 17th over.

The move paid off as Tharanga and Sangakkara slowed down while seamers Shafiul Islam and Rasel pegged away. Just 19 runs came in the stretch between 17 and 21 overs and as the Sri Lankans hit the speed-breaker, Tharanga perished as he dragged his back foot out while lunging towards a Mahmudullah delivery drifting down the leg-side. Mushfiqur Rahim whipped the bails and the home team slowed down.

Sri Lanka scored its first 100 runs in 12 overs and the next 100 in 22.5 overs while Sangakkara (52) and Mahela Jayawardene (43) dropped anchor and tided past a run-out situation. Jayawardene pressed the acceleration button once Sangakkara opted for the batting Power Play from the 36th over.

The former Sri Lankan captain lashed two fours off Rasel but fell to Shafiul while trying to slice the off-side. Sangakkara, charging down and slamming past point, found his fours but failed to control a similar shot and was dismissed.

Clobbering sixes

Angelo Mathews (42 n.o.) and Chamara Kapugedera (37 n.o.) then stepped in with an unfinished fifth-wicket 73-run partnership off 63 deliveries as Sri Lanka hastened towards its highest total on this ground.

Mathews and Kapugedera ran hard, clobbered sixes off tiring bowlers and helped Sri Lanka fancy its chances of pocketing the match later in the night and becoming the first team to qualify for the tournament's final here on June 24.

Sri Lanka: U. Tharanga st Rahim b Mahmudullah 54 ( 73b, 5x4, 1x6), T.M. Dilshan c & b Shakib 71 ( 51b, 11x4, 1x6), K. Sangakkara c Shakib b Shafiul 52 ( 69b, 4x4), M. Jayawardene c Shakib b Shafiul 43 ( 35b, 6x4), A. Mathews (not out) 42 ( 41b, 1x4, 1x6), C. Kapugedera (not out) 37 ( 30b, 1x4, 2x6); Extras (b-2, lb-3, w-8): 13; Total (for four wkts., in 50 overs): 312.

Fall of wickets: 1-111, 2-155, 3-224, 4-239.

Bangladesh bowling: Mortaza 8-0-70-0, Rasel 8-0-61-0, Shafiul Islam 10-0-59-2, Shakib 10-0-49-1, Ashraful 4-0-19-0, Naeem Islam 3-0-21-0, Mahmudullah 7-0-28-1 .

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