Murali closes on 600 wickets as Bangladesh toil

BOGRA, Bangladesh, Mar 10 (Reuters) Sri Lanka's Muttiah Muralitharan needed one more wicket to reach the landmark of 600 scalps in tests as Bangladesh struggled to 71 for three on the third day of the second and final test.

Murali dismissed Shahriar Nafees (6) as the hosts struggled in their second innings after Upul Thuranga's maiden test century (165) helped Sri Lanka to 316 and a lead of 82 runs.

Skipper Habibul Bashar (38) and Mohammad Ashraful (9) were the unbeaten batsmen.

Lasith Malinga made the first breakthrough when he removed opener Nafees Iqbal (2), who was caught behind by Kumar Sangakkara.

Sangakkara also caught opener Javed Omar (13) off Dilhara Fernando.

Muralitharan removed Nafees when he lobbed a catch to Farveez Maharoof on 6.

Earlier, Sri Lanka added 14 runs to their overnight total of 302 for eight with Thuranga's 444-minute vigil ended by Shahadat Hossein, who finished with 5-86 for his first five-wicket haul in tests.

REUTERS PM PM1251