Muttiah Muralitharan claimed five wickets to put Sri Lanka firmly in command of the first Test against Bangladesh on Saturday, the off-spinner's haul leaving the host on 177 for nine at the end of the second day. After Bangladesh had made a confident start with an opening stand of 44 in response to Sri Lanka's first innings total of 293, wickets fell at regular intervals as Muralitharan ripped through the home batting lineup. Muralitharan made the vital breakthrough with his second delivery of the match when Tamim Iqbal was caught at forward short-leg by Malinda Warnapura for 17, the wicket giving the visitors enough encouragement to take control of the contest. He added three more wickets around the tea interval before completing his 66th five-wicket haul in Tests with the dismissal of Shahadat Hossain, who was stumped by wicketkeeper Prasanna Jayawardene minutes before bad light stopped the play. Muralitharan attributed the bowlers' success to the wicket, telling reporters: “The wicket is not very good for batting. Always the bowlers had a chance. It's not easy for the batsmen to play shots here.” Chaminda Vaas chipped in with 2-33 and in the process claimed his 350th Test victim, when he had Bangladesh skipper Mohammad Ashraful caught by a diving Tillakaratne Dilshan at cover. Vaas also had opener Imrul Kayes caught behind after the 21-year-old had made a Test-best 33, the highest score of the Bangladesh innings. Earlier, Shakib Al Hasan completed his fourth five-wicket haul in five matches to help Bangladesh dismiss Sri Lanka for less than 300. Resuming on its overnight score of 172-6, Thilan Samaraweera led a lower-order recovery for the visitors with 90 off 141 balls before Bangladesh struck back on the stroke of lunch. Samaraweera, who scored his 16th Test half-century, shared 99 runs with Vaas for the seventh wicket as Sri Lanka grew in confidence. However, the second new ball helped Bangladesh gain its first success of the morning after the duo had batted brilliantly and the rest of the tail succumbed rather quickly. Vaas edged Mashrafe Mortaza to wicketkeeper Mushfiqur Rahim on 37 before Shakib trapped Dammika Parasad lbw for three to leave the visitors on 285-8. Rangana Herath was then run out for one before Shakib had Samaraweera caught by Siddique in the next over to close out the innings and return figures of 5-70. Siddle rocks South Africa Australia has taken the driver's seat on the second day of the second Test against South Africa at the Melbourne Cricket Ground Saturday. Trailing 0-1 in the three-Test series Australia's new paceman Peter Siddle wreaked havoc at his home ground by capturing three top-order wickets to reduce South Africa to 198-7. Australia now enjoys a 196-run lead as middle-order batsman Michael Clarke ground out an unbeaten 88 with the support of tail-enders and put hosts on top with a first innings total of 394. Fast bowler Dale Steyn took five wickets (5-87) for South Africa. The 24-year-old Siddle had opener McKenzie for 0, bowled the first Test hero de Villiers for 7 and the South African skipper and danger-man Smith for 62. Speedster Mitchel Johnson and spinner Nathan Hauritz supported the new paceman with two wickets each. South Africa's J.P. Duminy is unbeaten on 34 in company of Harris (8 not out) at close. Scores: Australia 394 (Ponting 101, Clarke 88 not out, Katich 54, Steyn 5-87). South Africa 198-7 (Smith 62, Siddle 3
