Herath caps series sweep with 13 scalps
Sri Lanka dump Zimbabwe in second Test
AFP
AFP, HARARE: Rangana Herath finished with 13 wickets as Sri Lanka completed a convincing 257-run victory over Zimbabwe in the second Test to sweep the series 2-0 at Harare Sports Club on Thursday.
The tourists went into the final day needing just three wickets to wrap up the match, and Herath required less than an hour to claim them as he finished with 8 for 63 in the second innings, bowling Zimbabwe out for 233.
Sri Lankas captain finished with figures of 13 for 152 in the match, after his team also won the first Test on November 2 by 225 runs.
Zimbabwes only real hope of pushing Sri Lanka on day five rested with Craig Ervine, who began the final day on 65 not out as Zimbabwe resumed on 180 for seven in pursuit of 491 for victory.
But the left-hander was the first batsman to fall on the fifth morning as he was well caught by Dhananjaya de Silva at slip off the bowling of Herath to depart for 72.
Carl Mumba was next to go, trapped lbw by the left-arm spinner, and although last man Chris Mpofu provided some entertainment as he lofted two huge sixes, he fell to Herath in the same fashion to bring the game to a close.
The two teams will play each other in a one-day international on Monday, when a triangular series also involving the West Indies gets underway at the same venue.
Agencies add: The result does not surprise anyone honestly. Zimbabwe will be happy with the progress shown in the series. They competed better and had their moments too but Sri Lanka and especially Rangana Herath was too good for them.
Man of the Match, Sri Lanka skipper Rangana Herath begins by saying that he is looking to improve every single day. On being the oldest player to take 350 Test wickets, he says that he has not decided on how long he will continue playing so will take it match by match.
Man of the series Dimuth Karunaratne starts off by saying that he was struggling against Australia but he got a good score and it helped him build confidence. Calls it a good wicket to bat and he was happy to occupy the crease and play the whole day. Jokes that he hopes to get a place in the ODI side for the coming Tri-series.
Zimbabwe skipper, Graeme Cremer says he feels there are a lot of positives for his side. Credits Sri Lanka for the way they played. Adds that they had prepared well for this game and despite the loss, have a lot of positives to take. Says he thinks his side are a shorter format team and are not yet ready for the longer format, so will try their absolute best to change that.
From the first day itself Sri Lanka were in the drivers seat. They set a huge total in front of the hosts on the back of centuries from de Silva and Gunaratne and ensured they didnt have a chance to make their way from there. The Rhodesians fought hard and put up a gritty fight, but were undone by a brilliant collective bowling display. Same thing followed as the home side faced a monstrous task to chase down a massive target and it proved to be too much for them.
So, as expected, Sri Lanka have won this match and that too in the early hours of the final day. They only needed 3 wickets to win this match along with the series, and theyve done so rather comfortably. Weve already given him plenty of mentions but it still doesnt seem enough. The Lankan skipper and their star, Rangana Herath, is once again the man to lead from the front. Hes taken 13 wickets in the entire game, scalping 8 in this innings. What a player!
