Bangladesh lose wicket in rain-hit Sri Lanka Test

KANDY, Sri Lanka, July 11, 2007 (AFP) - Tourists Bangladesh lost a second wicket in the 20 minutes of play possible between lunch and tea on the opening day of Wednesday's rain-hit third and final cricket Test against Sri Lanka.





Former captain Habibul Bashar was caught behind off Farveez Maharoof for 18 as the tourists moved from their lunch score of 48-1 to 53-2 by tea at the Asgiriya stadium. Opener Shahriar Nafees was unbeaten on 20 and Rajin Saleh had yet to get off the mark.

Incessant rain over Kandy, a popular Sri Lankan hill resort, allowed only 12 overs to be bowled in the morning session and another 5.

4 overs when play resumed an hour late after lunch.

Sri Lanka are chasing a 3-0 series sweep after winning the previous two Tests in Colombo by innings margins.

Sri Lankan captain Mahela Jayawardene won his third successive toss in the series and did not hesitate to ask Bangladesh to take first strike again.

The tourists were dismissed for 89 on the opening day of the first Test and were then skittled out for their lowest total of 62 at the start of the second Test.

But Bangladesh's batsmen refused to surrender despite losing opener Javed Omar in the third over of the morning, trapped leg-be