Magical Herath seals emphatic win…….

Rangana Herath’s fifth ten wickets haul together with batting heroics of Dimuth Karunaratne and Dinesh Chandimal, sealed an emphatic innings and six runs win for Sri Lanka over West Indies with a day to spare in the first Test concluded at Galle yesterday.

Following on, West Indies walked into the middle trailing by 166 runs with 8 wickets in hand, and scored only 160 runs more as Herath continued his magical touch in Galle and enabled Sri Lanka to seal their 15th win at the venue.
It was only Jermaine Blackwood who resisted the Sri Lanka attack with 92 off 135 balls which included 10 fours and 3 sixes. He attacked Herath with wickets tumbling at the other end, and at one stage it looked like he will make Sri Lanka bat again. But Dammika Prasad wrapped things up with just 6 runs of the lead remaining as Blackwood departed after his seventh half century in 11 innings in Test Cricket.

Herath started the day’s proceeding and took only 13 balls to strike as he removed night watchman Devendra Bishoo for 10 runs. Marlon Samuels’ poor run against Sri Lanka continued when Herath completely deceived him and he went for a golden duck. Darren Bravo who was playing well for his 31 was dismissed by Nuwan Pradeep. Milinda Siriwardana claimed his second wicket as a fast traveling edge was taken safely by Kaushal Silva at second slip, while skipper Jason Holder was unfortunately run out against the bowling of Herath. Holder came a long way down the track and the ball popped out off the pad to first slip where skipper Mathews at first slip threw it back at the stumps instantly.

Kusal Perera did some sharp work behind stumps as Kemar Roach was stumped in the second innings too off Herath. Roach was trapped on the line without any part of his foot behind and Herath claimed his 5th 10 wickets haul in Tests. Jerome Taylor lasted only 4 balls as Dammika Prasad trapped him lbw.

Match was set up by brilliant batting by opener Dimuth Karunarathne (186) and Dinesh Chandimal (151) as Sri Lanka scored 484 in the first inning. Herath’s six wicket haul resulted in West Indies being dismissed for 251 in the first inning and trailing by 233 runs, as Sri Lanka enforced the follow on.
[Pix by Pamod Nilru]