Niroshan Dickwella and Asela Gunaratne fashioned out a well deserving four-wicket win for Sri Lanka in the one-off Test against Zimbabwe as they chased down 388 in the fourth innings of Test on the fifth and final day at the R Premadasa Stadium yesterday.

Sri Lanka who resumed the final day at 170-3 and needing a further 218 to win finished on 391-6 with Gunaratne playing the role of sheet anchor despite being handicapped by a left hamstring injury (that prevented him from bowling in the Zimbabwe second innings) to remain not out on 80 scored off 151 balls with six fours.

Gunaratne figured in two crucial stands that took the game away from Zimbabwe after the visitors had reduced Sri Lanka to 203-5 within the first hour’s play by sending back the two overnight batsmen Kusal Mendis for 66 and former skipper Angelo Mathews for 25 – both falling to the leg-spin of Graeme Cremer.

At that stage Zimbabwe would have fancied their chances of running through the rest of the Lankan batting with Cremer getting the odd ball to spite and turn viciously whenever it hit the bowlers’ rough.

However Gunaratne joined Niroshan Dickwella in a partnership of match winning proportions adding 121 runs for the sixth wicket and after Dickwella’s departure for a well constructed 81 off 118 balls (6 fours), Dilruwan Perera (29 not out) made certain that Sri Lanka did not lose any more wickets by figuring in an unbroken stand of 67 with Gunaratne to seal the match in Sri Lanka’s favour.

It was the fifth highest successful run chase in Test history and the highest in Asia. In Sri Lanka it was the highest successful run chase after 377 by Pakistan at Pallekele in 2015 and 352 by Sri Lanka against South Africa at the P Sara Oval in 2006.

It was not an easy chase by any standards although Sri Lanka was playing the lowest ranked Test team in the world. Zimbabwe had till the final day kept their options open of pulling off a maiden Test win against Sri Lanka having shown great resolve and fight to take the game right into the final day – something that Zimbabwe sides had not done in the recent past.

Zimbabwe could consider themselves somewhat unlucky when a stumping chance against Dickwella when he was on 37 went against them. There will always be a debate on that decision. Chakabva, the wicket-keeper whipped the bails off when Dickwella missed a ball from Sikandar Raza.

The field umpires went upstairs and referred it to the third umpire Chettihody Shamshuddin of India who ruled it as not out after going through several replays. Dickwella’s foot to all appearances looked to be planted on the line and not behind it, in which instance he should have been given out.

To add to that disappointment Chikabva also spilt edges from Dickwella at 63 and from Perera at 13 both off the unfortunate Sean Williams who along with his captain Cremer send down a marathon 154.2 of the 217.2 overs bowled by Zimbabwe bowlers in the match.

One had to question the over reliance on the spinners by Cremer when he had two other specialist fast bowlers in the line-up. Donald Tiripano was never given a bowl in the second innings and Chris Mpofu sent down just six overs. Zimbabwe clearly showed their inexperience at this level not having the opportunity to play consistently and some of Cremer’s field placing was questionable.

Credit should be given to the curator of the R Premadasa Stadium Asanga Herath and his team for preparing a splendid pitch that produced some remarkable and challenging cricket throughout the five days. The pitch here is renowned for being a batsman’s paradise but on this occasion although each of the four innings produced totals of 300 plus it also gave a fair chance to the spinners with Rangana Herath bagging 11 wickets and Cremer nine. The R Premadasa Stadium is not renowned to host Test matches but in the nine they have it has produced the highest Test score of all time – 952-6 as well as the highest successful run chase in Asia – 388.

Gunaratne was named Man of the Match and surprisingly a Man of the Series was also presented when only a one-off Test was played. It was given to Rangana Herath.

On the batting front, Kusal Mendis squandered his chance to complete a maiden double-hundred, Niroshan Dickwella cracked his way to 75, Tamim Iqbal hit a half-century before running himself out, and a charmed Soumya Sarkar saw out the day on 66 not out. Among the cricket’s redeeming features, meanwhile, has been Sri Lanka’s positive outlook at the crease (they scored their runs at 3.82 an over), and the emergence of first hints of big turn. If the Galle pitch continues to descend into its familiar cantankerous mood through the back end of this match, Bangladesh will have to bat very well.

For now, it is the batsmen’s turn to hog the limelight, and no one has done that better than Kusal Mendis so far. He began the day on 166, but found his morning defined by two attempted sixes. The first, off Subashis Roy in the 95th over, was a hook shot gone awry – the mis-hit caught by Mustafizur Rahman at fine leg. The fielder, though, misjudged the position of the boundary, and trod on the rope while competing the catch. The umpire raised his arms to signal a six. Not seeing Mustafizur’s mistake, the bowler raised his arms in celebration. Dickwella, the non-striker, also raised his arms to suggest to Subashis that the ball had been carried over the boundary. Everyone had their hands up, and for a second they were standing around looking like bank tellers during an armed robbery.

The second attempted six, however, would cost Mendis his wicket. He stepped down the pitch to Mehedi and sought to deposit him over long-on. He didn’t quite get to the pitch, however, and this time, the mis-hit was controlled by Tamim Iqbal, who kept the ball in play by throwing it in the air, while he himself momentarily stepped over the boundary. That stroke had been an attempt to get to his maiden double hundred with a six – a sign that for all Mendis’ seeming maturity at the crease, he is not immune to the impetuous flashes of youth. He was out for 194.

While Bangladesh’s bowlers failed to muster the discipline they had managed in the first half of the first day, Mendis’ partner, Dickwella, was typically lively at the crease, launching the second ball he faced on the day over the leg side for six, and at times employing the reverse sweep that has recently served him well in the shortest format. He played the ramp stroke over the slips to hit the second of his successive boundaries off Taskin Ahmed in the 97th over, and brought up his second Test half century soon after, off the 52nd ball he faced. Mehedi eventually had him top-edging an attempted swipe over the leg side to dismiss him for 75. Dilruwan Perera then hit a brisk half century – largely in the company of the tail – to help propel Sri Lanka to the brink of 500.

Tamim and Soumya would go on to register Bangladesh’s first opening century stand in almost two years, but their progress was not always smooth. Soumya should have been out for 4 in the third over, had his outside edge been snared by Perera at gully off the bowling of Suranga Lakmal. Perera then became the bowler to have Tamim Iqbal dropped – on 28 – when wicketkeeper Dickwella failed to cling on to a thick outside edge.

Apart from those two errors, the openers were otherwise assured. They would often stride down the crease to knock the spinners down the ground, or launch them over the infield. Against the quicks, who were used in short spells, they rarely ventured a loose shot – Soumya lifting Lahiru Kumara languidly over the slips at one point.

It was only once both batsmen had almost reached fifty that Sandakan was brought into the attack. He began to cause problems almost immediately, regularly beating the bat and drawing inside-edges. For the first time in the Test, there seemed to be some turn in the surface. He can claim some credit in the dismissal of Tamim, though on the score sheet it went down as a run-out. A stock ball clipped Tamim’s pad en route to the keeper – it perhaps collected some part of the bat as well – and though Dickwella took the ball cleanly, Tamim believed the ball to have dribbled away towards fine leg, and took off for a run. The wicketkeeper only had to take the bails off.

Bangladesh will be disappointed that Mominul Haque got himself trapped in front only a few overs before stumps were drawn, but nevertheless, may feel they have plenty of batting left.

Thanks largely to Mendis’ monumental innings supported by half-centuries from Niroshan Dickwella and Dilruwan Perera, Sri Lanka reached a total of 494, although they would have been far happier if they had crossed the 500-run mark.

Niroshan Dickwella pulls a delivery to the leg boundary during his innings of 75.

Ironically it was the two half-centurions who were responsible for giving the Bangladesh openers early lives that enabled them to finish the day at 133 for two wickets – still 361 runs behind.

Perera put down a simple catch at gully offered by Soumya Sarkar at four and Dickwella missed Tamim Iqbal behind the wicket at 28. Those two lapses enabled the openers to put up a century partnership before Tamim threw away his wicket attempting an impossible single and getting run out for 57.

Sri Lanka soon followed with the wicket of Mominul Haque for seven when Perera compensated for his early lapse with a wicket by trapping him plumb in front.

Sarkar however lived to fight another day finishing on 66 not out with his skipper Mushfiqur Rahim on one.

The pitch had slowed down from what it was on the first day and the key to today will be the left-arm chinaman deliveries of Lakshan Sandakan who really made the Bangladesh batsmen jump around in the final session’s play.

Mendis’s extravagance cost him a maiden Test double century when he attempted to reach it with a six and eventually holed out to long-on. The catch was held on the boundary line by Tamim Iqbal giving Mehedi Hasan his second wicket of the innings.

The 19-year-old off-spinning sensation who bowled Bangladesh to their maiden Test win over England at Dhaka last October finished as the best Bangladesh bowler with four wickets for 113.

Dickwella batted aggressively for his second Test fifty scoring 75 off 76 balls with six fours and a six and Perera followed with his third Test half century (51) off 77 balls with seven fours and a six.

Dickwella helped Mendis add 110 for the fifth wicket before the latter’s dismissal for 194 scored off 225 balls with 19 fours and four sixes.

Mendis is the sixth Sri Lankan batsman to be dismissed in the 190s after Sidath Wettimuny, Sanath Jayasuriya, Kumar Sangakkara, Mahela Jayawardene and Tillakaratne Dilshan.

Bangladesh has won just three of its 45 away matches — two against West Indies in 2009 and one against Zimbabwe in 2013 — but has shown considerable improvement since its last victory overseas.

In its own backyard, Bangladesh has won four Tests, drawn five and conceded only three defeats since 2014. It showed impressive recent form against New Zealand and then India in away matches despite losing in both countries.

Sri Lanka has a solid record at home and blanked Australia 3-0 in the last series it hosted, in August 2016. But Bangladesh will be buoyed by the return of Mustafizur Rahman, the left-arm paceman who has not played a Test since his debut series against South Africa in 2015.

Mustafizur, 21, had undergone a shoulder surgery in August last year, after picking up an injury while playing for Sussex. He was selected for the New Zealand tour in December-January, and played four limited-overs matches before being ruled out of the two Tests that followed due to a hamstring injury.

Sri Lanka has won each of its last five Tests on home soil and will be captained by Rangana Herath, its experienced left-arm spinner who replaced Angelo Mathews.

The Sri Lankan cricket board did not say why Mathews was dropped, but he returned home last month midway through the South African tour after twisting his ankle.

The second Test in Colombo from March 15 will be Bangladesh’s 100th since it gained full status nearly 17 years ago.

The teams are also scheduled to play three One-Day Internationals before facing off in two Twenty20 Internationals to wind down the tour on April 6.

Teams (from):

Sri Lanka: Rangana Herath (capt), Dimuth Karunaratne, Niroshan Dickwella, Upul Tharanga, Dhananjaya de Silva, Kusal Mendis, Asela Gunaratne, Dinesh Chandimal (wk), Suranga Lakmal, Lahiru Kumara, Nuwan Pradeep, Vikum Sanjaya Bandara, Dilruwan Perera, Lakshan Sandakan, Malinda Pushpakumara.

Bangladesh: Mushfiqur Rahim (capt, wk), Tamim Iqbal, Liton Das, Soumya Sarkar, Mominul Haque, Shakib Al Hasan, Mahmudullah Riyad, Sabbir Rahman, Mustafizur Rahman, Taijul Islam, Mehedi Hasan, Taskin Ahmed, Mosaddek Hossain, Kamrul Islam Rabbi, Subashis Roy, Rubel H

Accordingly, the current scenario is of tremendous expectancy in a changed outlook of several colts that have come on the blocks who will strive to make their cricketing dream come true. Of significance to the Sri Lankan crusade is the presence of veteran campaigner Upul Tharanga back with a bang from an ODI century against South Africa and his consistency with the bat in leading the T20 team to the preceding series triumph. His T20 captaincy performance has been an apparent plus factor to the recall of the 32-year old veteran of 25 Test outings in ousting regular opener Kaushal di Silva for the opening berth. He has a moderate aggregate of 1400 runs from 46 innings with a highest of 165. He is epected to beef up the batting upfront pairing with Dimuth Karunaratne back from an on trial reprieve that he came through with a double ton against England A in the unofficial second test match. Also buoying is the apparent cementing of Test places by wicket-keeper batsman Niroshan Dickwella and Asela Gunaratne as specialist batsmen, and as much the naming of the 29-year old spin cum utility player Malinda Pushpakumara. While Dickwella and Gunaratne literally nudged the selectors by some fine performances in the instant cricket in South Africa after being omitted for the Test series, Pushpakumara, the former Lumbini MV, Colombo and Chilaw Marians player has been in top form with the ball heading the domestic averages. His 13-wicket haul and match sealing boundary in Sri Lanka A’s win against England A in the second unofficial Test was high stuff at that level that has thrust him on the threshold of winning his national cap against Bangladesh for the first Test starting on March 7 at the Galle Esplanade.

All in all, the squad does carry a lineup of some promising youngsters along with a string of campaigners who have been around long enough to test Bangladesh to the extreme in favourable home conditions. An added dimension to the Sri Lankan official ranks is of course that former top campaigner, Asanka Gurusinha as manager Cricket for the National Team. It is a highly laudable choice by Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) in getting the perfect blend at managerial level given Gurusinha’s tremendous services to Sri Lanka cricket.

Neighbours Bangladesh will be led by experienced batsman Mushfiqur Rahim in a composition that sees fast bowler Mustafizur Rahman recalled after a 2-year hiatus. The exchanges, that will also see three ODIs and two T20s, has already assumed fiery proportions with the visiting skipper Rahim having thrown the gauntlet in stating on his arrival that Bangladesh was confident of upsetting Sri Lanka in the absence of regular Sri Lanka captain Angelo Mathews. Test minnows, who top their 100th Test match against Sri Lanka on March 15, have indeed come a long way chalking up a string of Test wins mainly against Zimbabwe, and also defeating the West Indies, in their thrust to tasting the test series euphoria.

Sri Lanka Test squad:Rangana Herath (Captain), Dimuth Karunaratne, Niroshan Dickwella, Upul Tharanga, Dhananjaya de Silva, Kusal Mendis, Asela Gunaratne, Dinesh Chandimal, Suranga Lakmal, Lahiru Kumara, Nuwan Pradeep, Vikum Sanjaya Bandara, Dilruwan Perera, Lakshan Sandakan, Malinda Pushpakumara.

Bangladesh Test squad Mushfiqur Rahim (c), Tamim Iqbal, Liton Das, Soumya Sarkar, Mominul Haque, Shakib Al Hasan, Mahmudullah, Sabbir Rahman, Mustafizur Rahman, Taijul Islam, Mehedi Hasan, Taskin Ahmed, Mosaddek Hossain, Kamrul Islam Rabbi, Subashis Roy, Rubel Hossain.

Tour Manager – Ranjith Fernando, Heapd coach – Graham Ford, Physiotherapist – Ajantha Wattegama, Trainer – Nicholas Lee, Masseur – Lal Thamel, Performance analyst- Sriram Somayajula, Liaison officers – Chandra Rodrigo (Sri Lankan Team), Wasantha Ariyawickrama (B

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Gunaratne hit two match-winning fifties in the recent T20 series in Australia, and had also struck a maiden ODI hundred in South Africa earlier in the month. Dickwella, meanwhile, has been effective at the top of the order in the shorter formats, but had also had some first-class form behind him in recent domestic outings.

Among those omitted from the squad are Kusal Perera, who has been in poor form in both international and domestic cricket over the past few months, and opener Kaushal Silva.

Dimuth Karunaratne, the other opener, remains in the squad, however. This is thanks in part to his 212 for Sri Lanka A against England Lions over the weekend. He had also hit Sri Lanka’s only half-century in their most recent Test at the Wanderers.

The selectors sprang no major surprises on the bowling front. Malinda Pushpakumara, whom SLC had already announced would be part of the squad, is the only first-time addition. Lahiru Kumara, Suranga Lakmal, Nuwan Pradeep and Vikum Sanjaya – all right-armers – make up the seam-bowling options, while Rangana Herath leads a strong spin contingent featuring Dilruwan Perera and Lakshan Sandakan in addition to Pushpakumara. Fast bowler Dushmantha Chameera has not played competitive cricket since late last year, and, as such, is unavailable.

Gunaratne’s inclusion in this squad was largely expected. He had prospered in his first Test series in Zimbabwe over October and November, and had only left the squad to make way for the return of Angelo Mathews, who had been injured for that series. With Mathews out of the side again for this series, Gunaratne is a potential replacement at no. 5, capable of providing a slow-medium bowling option for captain Herath.

Dickwella, 23, had to beat out a late challenge from Ron Chandraguptha to secure the second opener’s spot, but was also the frontrunner for this position. He had mixed results in his previous stint in the Test team in 2014, playing as wicketkeeper and batting down the order – he averages 20.57 after seven Test innings – but has since expanded his game. He was the Player of the Series in the 2-1 T20 victory over South Africa in January, and had also scored 522 runs at an average of 52.20 in Sri Lanka’s first-class competition before he left for that tour.

The Test series begins on March 7 in Galle.

Sri Lanka squad: Rangana Herath (capt), Dinesh Chandimal (wk), Dimuth Karunaratne, Niroshan Dickwella, Upul Tharanga, Dhananjaya de Silva, Kusal Mendis, Asela Gunaratne, Suranga Lakmal, Lahiru Kumara, Nuwan Pradeep, Vikum Sanjaya, Dilruwan Perera, Lakshan Sandakan, Malinda Pushpakumara.

The home team’s recent results have not been favourable – Zimbabwe comes into the series having lost both Tests against New Zealand in its previous series by big margins – and it will hope that the milestone Test will usher the team into a new era.

Zimbabwe cricket is in a state of transition, with senior players gradually making way for youngsters. Vusi Sibanda, Elton Chigumbura and Chamu Chibhabha find no place in the squad, while Hamilton Masakadza is in search of runs.

Zimbabwe’s batting unit, though, still have some valuable experience in the form of Craig Ervine and Sean Williams in the middle order. Ervine will come into the game with a lot of confidence, having made a fighting 146 against New Zealand in his last Test. Masakadza might not be in the best of form, but he does add strength in a young batting line-up.

The Test series against Sri Lanka is also a great opportunity for some promising names to make a mark. Peter Moor, the wicketkeeper batsman, showed what he was capable of during his 71 on Test debut against New Zealand. Malcolm Waller is in good form too, making his way back to the Test side after scoring four consecutive half-centuries in the recent series against Pakistan A.

Zimbabwe also has an uncapped batsman in Tarisai Musakanda, the 21-year-old, who has made his way to the top after impressive performances in first-class cricket.

The home side’s bowling attack has been hit by injuries to Tendai Chatara and Tinashe Panyangara. Chris Mpofu and Carl Mumba, the uncapped seamer, will form the pace-bowling department.

Sri Lanka too has been hampered by injuries to Angelo Mathews and Dinesh Chandimal, forcing the selectors to name a new captain in Herath. However, Sri Lanka should be the favourite, having whitewashed Australia at home 3-0 in the team’s previous Test series. The big names are missing but there is no dearth of class in Sri Lanka’s batting line-up, with Kusal Mendis and Dhananjaya de Silva in particular impressing against Australia. The dashing Kusal Perera also adds might to the line-up. Sri Lanka’s bowling attack is led by the skipper, who is fast establishing himself as one of his country’s best ever cricketers. He has younger spinning colleagues in Dilruwan Perera and Lakshan Sandakan, the chinaman, for company. The pace attack will be led by Suranga Lakmal, and also has uncapped names in the 19-year-old Lahiru Kumara alongwith Lahiru Gamage.

The first Test will be a special one for Zimbabwe, but it will have to pull collectively to make it a memorable one.

Teams (from):

Zimbabwe:

Graeme Cremer (captain), Regis Chakabva (wk), Brian Chari, Michael Chinouya, Craig Ervine, Hamilton Masakadza, Tino Mawoyo, Peter Moor (wk), Chris Mpofu, Carl Mumba, Tarisai Musakanda, Taurai Muzarabani, Sikandar Raza, Donald Tiripano, Malcolm Waller, Sean Williams.

Sri Lanka:

Rangana Herath (captain), Dhananjaya de Silva, Niroshan Dickwella (wk), Lahiru Gamage, Asela Gunaratne, Dimuth Karunaratne, Lahiru Kumara, Suranga Lakmal, Kasun Madushanka, Kusal Mendis, Dilruwan Perera, Kusal Perera (wk), Lakshan Sandakan, Kaushal Silva.

To add to their woes vice-captain, top batter and wicket-keeper Dinesh Chandimal won’t be making the tour to Zimbabwe as he has still not fully recovered from a thumb injury which he sustained playing in a Mercantile ‘A’ division match last month. The injury required surgery.

Chandimal’s place is filled by the Sri Lanka Army SC’s uncapped 30-year-old right-hand batting all-rounder Asela Gunaratne who has been amongst the runs in the ongoing unofficial test series against West Indies A.

Chief selector Sanath Jayasuriya stated that he was hopeful that Chandimal would recover in time for the one-day tri-series against Zimbabwe and West Indies that starts at Harare on November 14.

The two Tests against Zimbabwe are scheduled to be played at Harare from October 29-November 2 and November 6-10.

The delay in releasing the squad which was picked over a week ago was due to the fitness concerns surrounding key players especially the fast bowlers..

Eventually the Lankan selectors were left with only Suranga Lakmal as the fast bowler who was fit for selection amongst the experienced lot.

How weak the Lankan pace bowling line-up is can be gauged by the fact that Lakmal although being the most experienced of the five fast bowlers picked for the tour has never produced a five-wicket innings haul in Tests in the six years he has played for his country. In 29 Tests he has 60 wickets at an average which is usually associated with a batsman – 49.40. The selectors have no option but to pick him as the spearhead of the fast bowling attack.

“We have picked the best possible line-up of fast bowlers available to us,” said chief selector Sanath Jayasuriya.

“Kasun Madushanka has been bowling well in the ongoing series against West Indies A and Lahiru Gamage is the most experienced Sri Lanka A bowler we have. We picked Lahiru Kumara (Sri Lanka under 19 bowler) because he is good potential for the future,” he said.

All three fast bowlers are uncapped along with Gunaratne. Adding to the woes of the long list of fast bowling injuries are two young fast bowlers Asitha Fernando (hamstring) and Vishwa Fernando (back injury).

Sri Lanka are already beset by injuries to key fast bowlers Dhammika Prasad (shoulder), Nuwan Pradeep (hamstring), Dushmantha Chameera (back stress fracture) and one-day specialist Lasith Malinga (knee). They have also lost the services of Shaminda Eranga reported for a suspect bowling action.

In the absence of Chandimal, Jayasuriya said that Niroshan Dickwella who has been picked in the squad would most probably be taking over the wicket-keeping gloves although there is also Kusal Perera who has kept wickets for Sri Lanka in Tests.

Dimuth Karunaratne and Kaushal Silva are the two established openers, but Perera can also play the dual-purpose role of opener or late order batsman. The Lankan batting seems settled with the exception of Chandimal whose absence will put extra pressure on the rest of the batters to perform.

The spin department is once again headed by the experienced and most capped current Sri Lanka Test player left-armer Rangana Herath who will be supported by off-spinner Dilruwan Perera and left-arm chinaman Lakshan Sandakan.

Allrounder Milinda Siriwardana, who was in the squad for the first two games, was omitted in the only other change in the 16-man squad announced on Friday.

Kumara was part of Sri Lanka’s successful under-19 tour to England, where the youth test and ODI series were won recently. His teammate, batsman Avishka Fernando, was already in the senior squad as Sri Lanka looks to build a team for the 2019 Cricket World Cup.

Kumara, who has no first-class experience, took 19 wickets in both formats during the England tour.

Opening batsman Tillakaratne Dilshan will retire from ODI cricket after the third match in Dambulla, to give way for the team building. Dilshan has played 329 ODIs since his debut in 1999, and still ranks among the team’s best scorers.
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Sri Lanka: Angelo Mathews (captain), Kusal Perera, Kusal Mendis, Tillakaratne Dilshan, Dinesh Chandimal, Dhanajaya De Silva, Angelo Perera, Avishka Fernando, Danushka Gunathilaka, Suranga Lakmal, Thisara Perera, Dilruwan Perera, Seekkuge Prasanna, Lakshan Sandakan, Amila Aponso, Lahiru Kumara.