Sri Lanka moved within four wickets of sealing a series win, with Bangladesh still 96 runs adrift of their first-innings lead in the second Test. After a dominant second day, the hosts consolidated their command on the game with another clinical display, stretching their lead past 200 before Bangladesh collapsed in their second innings. For Sri Lanka, Prabath Jayasuriya led a spin-bowling attack that sent Bangladesh scrambling, leaving them on the cusp of an innings defeat.

A lead of 211 appeared impregnable on a surface that was beginning to take turn. Bangladesh’s brief bright start was cut short on the cusp of tea when, off the last ball of the session, Anamul Haque’s eyes lit up at a short delivery, only to be beaten by the extra pace and bounce as he toe-ended it to short midwicket.

That was the only wicket a fast bowler took for Sri Lanka in their second innings on day three. Post-tea, Jayasuriya spun a web around the batters. Shadman Islam nicked off to the wicketkeeper off just his second ball of the session as the straighter deliveries wreaked havoc upon the batters’ judgments. Jayasuriya was unlucky not to snare Najmul Hossain Shanto on a number of occasions when he beat the outside edge by a whisker, and when Shanto charged down the wicket without connecting, only for the wicketkeeper to fumble the gather.

Dhananjaya de Silva came into the attack and sent Mominul Haque packing, though, exploiting the grip off the surface and the natural advantage of a finger-spinner taking it away from the left-hand batter. Shanto, too, fell in Dhananjaya’s third over as the arm ball went through the gate ,and trapped him plumb in front.

There was enough time to inflict further damage on the visitors. Late in the day, Jayasuriya produced a touch of extra turn that clipped the outside edge of the off stump to send Mushfiqur Rahim back. Then, for the second consecutive session, a wicket ended the session, as Tharindu Ratnayake got one to straighten and send Mehidy Hasan Miraz back when Dhananjaya reviewed.

But it had looked rosier for Bangladesh in the morning. Taijul Islam and Nahid Rana dragged them back into contention as Kamindu Mendis and Kusal Mendis battled to hold on to the advantage Sri Lanka had established on the second day. After a first hour that the visitors dominated with three early wickets, a 49-run stand between the pair held Bangladesh at bay, taking Sri Lanka’s lead into three figures and steadily building upon it.

While off-spinner Nayeem Hasan darted one through Kamindu to just about edge the session for his side, Sri Lanka’s 154-run lead at lunch already threatened to have batted Bangladesh out of forcing a positive result.

Bangladesh were staring into the abyss at the start after toiling all of the second day for two measly wickets as Sri Lanka approached 300. Early in the morning, though, Pathum Nissanka, having crossed 150, chipped Taijul to short cover. As Nissanka walked back to a standing ovation, Bangladesh sensed the new day was bringing with it fresh hope.

Taijul ran an arm ball through Dhananjaya in his following over, and with Sri Lanka suddenly uncertain, Bangladesh prowled. Kamindu decided to break the shackles by taking the quick bowlers on, hitting two boundaries in Ebadot Hossain’s over, and another two in Nahid’s. But Nahid hit the hard length and drew an edge out of nightwatcher Jayasuriya to third slip, one Mehidy snaffled on his second attempt.

That brought Kusal to the crease, and he shared Kamindu’s ideas about how to approach the innings. An entertaining passage of play followed as Sri Lanka tried to revert pressure back on to the bowlers while never quite looking convincing enough to pull clear. At one stage, an edge from Kamindu kissed off stump on its way to the boundary – incredibly, without disturbing the bails.

However, Sri Lanka continued to build on their lead, and it wasn’t until the partnership was one away from 50 that a wicket arrived. Nayeem fired one into Kamindu that never turned. The ball snuck past his inside edge, and deflected on to the stumps off his pads. It brought renewed hope for the visitors of running through Sri Lanka’s lower order, but with Kusal holding firm, that never quite materialised.

Sonal Dinusha didn’t last long as the excellent Nayeem sliced through his defences. But it was the frustrating eighth- and ninth-wicket partnerships that robbed Bangladesh of any momentum. Ratnayake showed Kusal he could be trusted from one end, impressively getting off the mark with a heave off Taijul for six – his first runs in Test cricket. Kusal punished the spinners whenever they dropped short at the other end, getting to his half-century early in the session before continuing to build.

But Ratnayake fell into the trap Bangladesh laid, tempting him into another heave. This time Taijul went quicker, lower and flatter, and had protection at wide long-on, who completed a simple catch when the batter succumbed to the invitation.

Kusal took on a more proactive role, farming the strike alongside Vishwa Fernando as he eyed three figures. That, however, eventually brought his downfall as he hared back for a second run that wasn’t there, a brilliant throw from Ebadot in the deep catching him well short of his crease.

The innings wrapped up later that over with Taijul getting himself to five wickets. However, Bangladesh needed to produce a Herculean batting effort to challenge Sri Lanka after falling so far behind in the first innings. But Jayasuriya and Dhananjaya ensured it was a task Bangladesh look like they will fall far short of.

Brief scores:
Bangladesh 247 in79.3 overs and 115 for 6 in 38.4 overs (Mushfiqur Rahim 26, Litton Das 13*;  Dhananjaya de Silva 2-13, Prabath Jayasuriya 2-47) trail Sri Lanka 458 in 116.5 overs (Pathum Nissanka 158, Lahiru Udra 40, Dinesh Chandimal 93, Kamindu Mendis 33, Kusal Mendis 84; Taijul Islam 5-131, Nayeem Hasan 3-87) by 96 runs

[Cricinfo]