Mahela Jayawardene slammed an unbeaten 83 as Sri Lanka continued their relentless progress in the first Test against Bangladesh at the Sher-e-Bangla stadium in Dhaka on Wednesday.
The tourists moved to 463-5 by lunch on the third day, gaining a massive lead of 231 over Bangladesh's first innings total of 232 and with five wickets in hand.
Jayawardene, Sri Lanka's leading run-getter in Tests with 11,116 runs, was approaching his 33rd century with a typically elegant innings that has so far contained six boundaries and two sixes.
Bangladesh failed to take a wicket in the morning session after Sri Lanka resumed on 375-5, as the bowlers struggled to contain runs on the even-paced pitch.
Sri Lankan captain Angelo Mathews partnered Jayawardene in an unbeaten stand of 88 for the sixth wicket and was himself unbeaten on 46 at the break.
Sri Lanka's run spree on the second day revolved around a maiden Test century from opener Kaushal Silva (139) and useful contributions from Kumar Sangakkara (75) and Dimuth Karunaratne (53).
Left-arm spinner Shakib Al Hasan has been Bangladesh's most successful bowler with three wickets, but his 37 overs so far have cost 129 runs.
Al-Amin Hossain has one for 100 in 30 overs, while fellow seamer Rubel Hossain has conceded 84 runs in 20 wicketless overs.
The two-Test series will be followed by two Twenty20 matches and three one-day internationals.
Source: AFP
