Sri Lanka smashes Bangladesh with four centuries

June 26, 2007 (AFP) - Four batsmen scored centuries as Sri Lanka flexed their batting might to tighten the screws on Bangladesh in the first cricket Test here on Tuesday.







Maiden Test hundreds by Prasanna Jayawardene and veteran seamer Chaminda Vaas capped a solid batting display by the hosts, while captain Mahela Jayawardene and opener Michael Vandort also reached three figures.

Having shot out Bangladesh for 89 on the opening day, Sri Lanka piled up 577-6 in their first innings before declaring 15 minutes before the close of the second day's play.

Bangladesh, trailing by 488 runs, safely negotiated three overs before the close to finish the day on three for no loss.

Sri Lanka's run deluge left Bangladesh facing an uphill struggle to avoid defeat in the first of three Test matches on their five-week tour.

Mohammad Ashraful's tourists lasted just 32.

3 overs on the first day with Muttiah Muralitharan taking five wickets after seamer Dilhara Fernando had destroyed the top order with three wickets.

Runs came easily against the tiring Bangladesh attack that lacked the firepower to disturb the batsmen on the easy-paced wicket at the Sinhalese Sports Clu