WHEN the match started on the third day it was obviously evenly poised. And the first session belonged to Bangladesh who captured quick wickets and made a good start to their second innings. But inexperience showed all around in their batting as they called for trouble on a very, very flat wicket. The bowling

was fine what they needed was just one or two partnerships to stay alive in the game. But nobody really seemed to bother and play with patience.

Mohammad Ashraful, after his brilliant first innings hundred, was unlucky to be dismissed to a superb catch at forward short-leg. I think that was all over for the home side.

My congratulations to Muttiah Muralidaran for becoming the first cricketer to claim 1000 international wickets. What a great bowler he is! I see many more wickets coming to his already opulent bag. One of the all-time greats, Murali has proved that he is capable of taking wickets on any type of surface. He tore through the Bangladesh tail like any fast bowler does and finished with six wickets, just one short of another ten-wicket haul in a match.

It really does not matter that he was a bit lucky to scalp his 1000th victim when Khaled Mashud was give out by the umpire. It was a genuine mistake, which umpires commit now and again. But you just can't take away the credit from Murali. He is a history maker.

We often criticise umpires for their

mistakes but the sweet thing about neutral umpiring is that they are not favouring any side. The decisions actually made no difference today. Shahriar Nafees looked very good and well set until he played a rash shot. You have to learn quickly if you want to improve and win a Test match. I think Bangladesh have lost a great opportunity to put Sri Lanka under pressure. The players must have the mental strength and the belief that they can really do it. Test cricket is not about playing shots, it is about grinding runs. The key is to stay there and play sensibly. If you get out to a good delivery or a spectacular piece of fielding, that's ok. But if you throw wickets on the third day of a match, it is very, very wrong.

I think Sri Lanka's confidence will be sky-high after winning this Test match, which they should do within a very short time tomorrow. But they would no longer take their opposition lightly. It also means more hard work for Bangladesh in the next match.