Rangana Herath's 10-wicket match haul helped Sri Lanka crush West
Indies by an innings and six runs on Saturday (October 17) to decisively
win the first Test at Galle with a day to spare. West Indies were
dismissed for 227 in the second innings, just an hour and 15 minutes
after lunch on the fourth day of a Test which saw Herath wreak havoc
throughout.
He finished with second innings figures of four for 79, after taking six for 68 in the first innings, in which the tourists were all out for 251 and forced to follow on after Sri Lanka amassed 484 in their first innings. Herath's fifth 10-wicket haul in his 64th Test put him just 12 wickets shy of becoming the third Sri Lankan to grab 300 Test wickets.
"Galle was where I started my career," said a jubilant Herath. "There is something (at Galle) for me and all spinners. I wish I can reach the 300 mark in this series."
Herath's heroics came after Sri Lanka's domination with the bat on the first two days. The left-handed opener Dimuth Karunaratne (186) and the middle order batsman Dinesh Chandimal (151) piled the misery on struggling West Indies. Karunaratne and Chandimal set a new record in the third wicket partnership between the two countries when they added 238, beating a 14-year-old record set by Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene of 162.
"We have had some individual brilliance. Karunaratne and Chandimal played well, Herath was outstanding," Mathews said.
Sri Lanka have now won six out of 10 Tests played against West Indies in the island since 1993 with four draws. West Indies are yet to win a single match.
After starting the day on 67 for two, the West Indies never managed to build enough momentum to challenge the hosts. Jermaine Blackwood, the last man out for 92, put up a resistance, but not enough to stave off an innings defeat. His knock included 10 fours and three sixes.
Shortly after the start of the day's play, nightwatchman Devendra Bishoo was caught by captain Mathews off the bowling of Herath with the score at just 74. The next ball, Herath trapped Marlon Samuels leg before wicket. Though the spinner missed out on a hat-trick, Sri Lanka kept the West Indies in trouble with Darren Bravo (31) falling to a peach of a swinger by Nuwan Pradeep that was edged to wicketkeeper Kusal Janith Perera. Denesh Ramdin was next to fall, caught at slip off the bowling of Milinda Siriwardana. The rest followed soon.
For Sri Lanka, victory was the perfect launch of the new era following the exit of the legends, Mahela Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakkara. It will also be a welcome return to the winning ways after their series defeats to both Pakistan and India at home.
He finished with second innings figures of four for 79, after taking six for 68 in the first innings, in which the tourists were all out for 251 and forced to follow on after Sri Lanka amassed 484 in their first innings. Herath's fifth 10-wicket haul in his 64th Test put him just 12 wickets shy of becoming the third Sri Lankan to grab 300 Test wickets.
"Galle was where I started my career," said a jubilant Herath. "There is something (at Galle) for me and all spinners. I wish I can reach the 300 mark in this series."
Herath's heroics came after Sri Lanka's domination with the bat on the first two days. The left-handed opener Dimuth Karunaratne (186) and the middle order batsman Dinesh Chandimal (151) piled the misery on struggling West Indies. Karunaratne and Chandimal set a new record in the third wicket partnership between the two countries when they added 238, beating a 14-year-old record set by Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene of 162.
"We have had some individual brilliance. Karunaratne and Chandimal played well, Herath was outstanding," Mathews said.
Sri Lanka have now won six out of 10 Tests played against West Indies in the island since 1993 with four draws. West Indies are yet to win a single match.
After starting the day on 67 for two, the West Indies never managed to build enough momentum to challenge the hosts. Jermaine Blackwood, the last man out for 92, put up a resistance, but not enough to stave off an innings defeat. His knock included 10 fours and three sixes.
Shortly after the start of the day's play, nightwatchman Devendra Bishoo was caught by captain Mathews off the bowling of Herath with the score at just 74. The next ball, Herath trapped Marlon Samuels leg before wicket. Though the spinner missed out on a hat-trick, Sri Lanka kept the West Indies in trouble with Darren Bravo (31) falling to a peach of a swinger by Nuwan Pradeep that was edged to wicketkeeper Kusal Janith Perera. Denesh Ramdin was next to fall, caught at slip off the bowling of Milinda Siriwardana. The rest followed soon.
For Sri Lanka, victory was the perfect launch of the new era following the exit of the legends, Mahela Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakkara. It will also be a welcome return to the winning ways after their series defeats to both Pakistan and India at home.
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