The Hindu : Sport : Herath is Sri Lanka’s hero

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Herath is Sri Lanka’s hero

Pakistan’s batting collapses dramatically

Dilshan ran out Misbah for seven
Thushara chipped in with two wickets

— Photo: AFP

DREAM STUFF: Sri Lanka pulled off an incredible win thanks to Rangana Herath’s magic spell.

GALLE: Sri Lanka’s bowlers engineered a dramatic Pakistan batting collapse to clinch a 50-run victory on the fourth day of the opening Test on Tuesday.

Pakistan resumed the day at 71 for two, needing just 97 runs with eight wickets remaining to win the opener of the three-match series, but wickets tumbled in the morning session and the tourist was bowled out for 117 in less than 45 overs.

Left-arm spinner Rangana Herath, who was rushed into the contest from English league cricket after an injury to Muttiah Muralitharan, started the collapse with the wickets of Mohammad Yousuf (12) and Salman Butt (28).

Herath was Pakistan’s chief tormentor, showing plenty of guile to claim four for 15 from 11.3 overs.

Yousuf, Pakistan’s first-innings top-scorer with 112, was the first man to go when he was trapped lbw with a well-disguised arm ball and Butt self-destructed with a wild slog-sweep that was caught at deep square leg.

Left-arm fast bowler Thilan Thushara, a controversial pick ahead of veteran Chaminda Vaas, vindicated his selection when he had former captain Shoaib Malik caught behind for a duck to leave Pakistan in disarray at 72 for five.

Thushara, getting the ball to swing both ways, followed up with an inswinger to trap wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal lbw for six. Sri Lanka ’keeper Tillakaratne Dilshan then seized on some clumsy calling to run out Misbah-ul-Haq shortly after an appeal for leg before was turned down. Spinner Ajantha Mendis made an instant impact, bowling Umar Gul for nine with a fizzing leg-cutter.

Abdur Rauf and Mohammad Aamer threatened to stall the home side’s victory charge with a partnership of 15 for the ninth wicket, but Herath deceived the latter with an arm ball soon after being called back for a second spell.

Wrapping it up

Herath then wrapped up victory just before the scheduled lunch break when he got Rauf to edge to Jayawardene at slip.

Mendis finished with two for 27 from 10 overs and Thushara chipped in with two for 21 from 12 overs.

Fined

As if the shock loss was not enough, Pakistan was fined for maintaining a slow over-rate.

ICC match referee Alan Hurst imposed the fines after Younus Khan’s side was ruled to be one over short of its target at the end of the Sri Lankan innings when time allowances were taken into consideration.

Younus was fined 10 per cent of his match fee while his teammates received five per cent fines for violating Section J of the ICC Code of Conduct. — Agencies

SCOREBOARD

Pakistan — 1st innings: 342.

Sri Lanka — 2nd innings: 217.

Pakistan — 2nd innings: K. Manzoor c Jayawardene b Mendis 15, S. Butt c Paranavitana b Herath 28, Younus lbw b Mathews 3, Mohd. Yousuf lbw b Herath 12, Misbah-ul-Haq (run out) 7, S. Malik c Dilshan b Thushara 0, K. Akmal lbw b Thushara 6, A. Rauf c Jayawardene b Herath 13, U. Gul b Mendis 9, M. Aamer c Dilshan b Herath 6, S. Ajmal (not out) 1; Extras (b-13, lb-3, w-1) 17; Total (in 44.3 overs) 117.

Fall of wickets: 1-36, 2-39, 3-71, 4-72, 5-72, 6-80, 7-85, 8-95, 9-110.

Sri Lanka bowling: Kulasekara 7-1-25-0, Thushara 12-4-21-2, Mathews 4-0-13-1, Mendis 10-0-27-2, Herath 11.3-5-15-4.

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