Herath demolishes Pakistan
Spinner Rangana Herath completed remarkable match figures of 14 for 184, as Sri Lanka romped to a 105-run triumph – and two-nil series victory – over Pakistan on day five of the second and final Test at the Sinhalese Sports Club in Colombo on Monday.
Spinner Rangana Herath completed remarkable match figures of 14 for 184, as Sri Lanka romped to a 105-run triumph – and two-nil series victory – over Pakistan on day five of the second and final Test at the Sinhalese Sports Club in Colombo.
The convincing result afforded the veteran Mahela Jayawardene, whose retirement from the longest format of the game commenced on Monday, an entirely fitting farewell in front of an appreciative crowd.
Resuming on 127 for seven and determined to see first-innings centurion Sarfaz Ahmed shepherd the tail-enders accordingly, Pakistan's desperate ambition was soon blighted by opposition eager to cap a telling whitewash.
The tourists, in fact, lasted a mere dozen overs and one delivery in the morning session in succumbing to Man of the Match Herath and company. Sri Lanka's task was made slightly easier by the absence of the injured Junaid Khan, who did not bat after being struck on the head from a Dhammika Prasad bouncer last week.
The veteran Jayawardene, who will remain available to the ODI team, finished a prolific Test match career in seventh position among the most prolific scorers. Flanked by West Indians Brian Lara and Shivnarine Chanderpaul, the talented right-hander amassed 11,814 runs in 149 matches at a superb average of 49.84.
He scored 34 centuries and 50 half-tons, including a highest score of 374 – 43 boundaries and a solitary six included – against the South Africans at the SSC in July 2006. 252 innings only brought 15 ducks.
The Sri Lankans and Pakistanis will meet for three ODIs – at the Mahinda Rajapaksa International Cricket Stadium in Hambantota, R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo and Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium – on 23, 27 and 30 August respectively.
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