Sri Lanka scored a comfortable eight-wicket victory over Bangladesh on the fourth day of the first Test here on Friday. Sri Lanka, set a target of 163 to win the match, notched up the remaining 138 runs in the first session Friday to go 1-0 up in the two-match series.
Overnight 25 without loss, Sri Lanka gained momentum with a 90-run stand between opener Michael Vandort (64 not out) and vice-captain Kumar Sangakkara (46) for the second wicket.
The left-handed pair dominated the bowling during their 20-over association but it was skipper Mahela Jayawardene's brisk 25-ball knock of 26 that ensured that play did not go beyond lunch.
Vandort and Jayawardene knocked up 51 runs off 8.1 overs in an unbroken third-wicket stand as Bangladesh captain Habibul Bashar made desperate bowling changes to try and curb the flow of runs.
Vandort made up for his first innings duck with a 105-ball innings during which he hit seven boundaries, while Jayawardene smashed five fours. Sangakkara, who had scored 69 in the first innings, struck five fours and one six before giving a return catch to left-arm spinner Enamul Haque.
Opener Upul Tharanga was the other batsman to be dismissed in the opening session. The left-hander went for a drive but edged the ball to Shahriar Nafees at second slip off left-arm seamer Syed Rasel.
Sri Lanka were set a small target as Bangladesh capitulated in their second innings for just 181 on Thursday after conceding a small first innings lead of 19 runs.
Bangladesh have lost all their six Tests against Sri Lanka and their overall record stands at 36 losses in 41 Tests with four draws and a lone win against Zimbabwe.
The second and final Test will be held in the northern city of Bogra from March 8. Sri Lanka won a preceding three-match one-day series 2-1.
BANGLADESH (1st innings): 319 (Mohammad Ashraful 136, Nafees Iqbal 34, Malinga 4-57, Muralitharan 3-87):
SRI LANKA (1st innings): 338 (Farveez Maharoof 72, K. Sangakkara 69, Hossain 4-83):
BANGLADESH (2nd innings): 181 (Mohammad Rafique 40, Shahriar Nafees 38, Muralitharan 6-54)
S LANKA (2nd innings - overnight 25-0):
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M. Vandort not out 64
U. Tharanga c Shahriar Nafees b Rasel 19
K. Sangakkara c and b Haque 46
M. Jayawardene not out 26
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EXTRAS: (B-5, LB-4, NB-2) 11
TOTAL: (for two wickets) 166
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