Bogra, March 10:

Muttiah Muralitharan snared his 600th Test wicket as Sri Lanka ended just 43 runs away from winning the second and final cricket Test against Bangladesh on Friday.

The home side was bowled out for 201 after tea break on the third day giving Sri Lanka an easy victory target of 120 to wrap up the series 2-0. Openers Michael van Dort (22) and Upul Tharanga (48) remained unbeaten at stumps after Sri Lanka reached 77 without loss.

In Bangladesh’s second innings, Mohammad Rafique played a cameo, scoring 64 off 78 balls that included six boundaries and three sixes.

Even though pace bowlers Lasith Malinga and Dilhara Fernando claimed three wickets apiece, the spotlight was stolen by Muralitharan.

Muralitharan removed Khaled Mashud (6) in the second session to become only the second bowler to grab 600 wickets after Australian leg spinner Shane Warne’s record 659 Test dismissals.

It also made him the first bowler to pick up 50 wickets against every Test playing nation. The landmark wicket sparked celebrations from the players who mobbed their star bowler, completing the feat 13 years after his Test debut against Australia.

The home side struggled to 162 for seven at tea, despite captain Habibul Bashar’s solid 73. Four top-order wickets fell in the second session as Bangladesh resumed on 71 for three at lunch. Malinga Bandara claimed Mohammad Ashraful (13) and Mushfiqur Rahim (0) after Sri Lanka’s bowlers grabbed three early wickets before lunch.

Earlier, Sri Lanka was bowled out for 316 in reply to Bangladesh’s total of 234.

Resuming on 302, Sri Lanka added just 14 runs after pace bowler Shahadat Hossain removed the last two wickets in his first five Test-wicket haul.

Hossain dismissed Malinga before he could add to his overnight score of 12.

Tharanga added five to his 160 overnight before becoming Hossain’s 5th victim. Muralitharan, who hit a six, remained unbeaten on eight.

SCOREBOARD:

BANGLADESH — 1st Innings: 234

SRI LANKA — 1st Innings: (Overnight: 305)

BANGLADESH — 2nd Innings

J Omar c Sangakkara b Fernando 13

N Iqbal c Sangakkara b Malinga 2

H Bashar lbw b Malinga 73

S Nafees c Maharoof b Muralitharan 6

M Ashraful c Jayawardene b Bandara 13

M Rahim c Sangakkara b Bandara 0

K Mashud c Malinga b Muralitharan 6

M Rafique c Muralitharan b Malinga 64

S Hossain b Fernando 8

E Haque c Sangakkara b Fernando 3

S Rasel not out 1

Extras: 12 (1b, 4lb, 2w, 5nb)

Total: 201

FoW: 1-15, 2-29, 3-46, 4-95, 5-95, 6-110, 7-162, 8-187, 9-198

Sri Lanka bowling: Malinga 14.1-1-51-3, Fernando 19-4-51-3, Muralitharan 13-1-62-2, Bandara 10-4-32-2

SRI LANKA —2nd Innings

M Dort not out 22

U Tharanga not out 48

Extras: 7 (5lb, 2w)

Total: 77/0

Bangladesh bowling: Rasel 5-0-21-0, Hossain 6-2-30-0, Rafique 5-2-14-0, Haque 4-0-7-0