Herath spins Sri Lanka to crushing win

GALLE: Captain Rangana Herath claimed six wickets in the second innings to help Sri Lanka beat Bangladesh by 259 runs in the first cricket test in Galle yesterday.

Sri Lanka dismissed Bangladesh for 197 runs in their second innings in the penultimate session of the match to take a 1-0 lead in the two-match series.

Resuming from their overnight score of 67-0, Bangladesh had big hopes of saving the test, but lost opener Soumya Sarkar to the second ball of the day when Asela Gunaratne bowled him for 53. The tourists never recovered.

Mominul Haque was trapped leg before wicket for 5 by Dilruwan Perera, with the batsman unsuccessfully challenging the decision.

Herath then struck twice in an over to get a firm grip on the game. Former captain Shakib Al Hasan was spectacularly caught by Dimuth Karunaratne at legslip for 8 and two balls later Mahmudullah Riyad was trapped leg before wicket without scoring.

But captain Mushfiqur Rahim and wicketkeeper Liton Das took the team through to lunch without further drama, adding 54 runs for the sixth wicket, while gathering dark clouds gave the visitors some hope.

However, the sixth wicket stand was broken soon after lunch when Mushfiqur was caught behind down the leg-side off Lakshan Sandakan for 34.

Stand-in captain Herath entered the records books when he dismissed Liton to claim his 363rd test scalp and go past New Zealander Daniel Vettori’s record for the most test wickets by a left-arm spinner.

The second Test between the teams gets underway at P. Sara Oval in Colombo on Wednesday.