Rangana Herath and Sri Lanka heap more misery on West Indies with innings defeat

Sri Lanka finished off West Indies on Saturday for a victory of an innings and six runs, Rangana Herath taking four wickets to lead the follow-on cut-down of the Windies line-up.

Sri Lankan cricketer Rangana Herath delivers the ball during Day 4 of the first Test against West Indies as his side secured victory in Galle. Lakruwan Wanniarachchi / AFP / October 17, 2015

Associated Press

Sri Lanka beat West Indies by an innings and six runs in the first Test on Saturday after bowling out the tourists for 227 in their second innings after lunch on Day 4.

Left-arm spinner Rangana Herath finished with 4-79 in the second innings to claim match figures of 10-147, his fifth 10th wicket haul in Tests.

Middle order batsman Jermaine Blackwood provided the only resistance for West Indies as he made 92 off 135 deliveries with 10 fours and three sixes.

Sri Lanka posted 484 in their first innings and enforced the follow on after dismissing West Indies for 251.

West Indies resumed Saturday on 67-2 and Herath, who took 6-68 in the first innings, was the main threat once again. West Indies slumped to 74-4 in the fifth over of the morning as Herath took two wickets in successive balls. Nightwatchman Devendra Bishoo was caught at first slip by skipper Angelo Mathews while Marlon Samuels was foxed by Herath’s arm ball as he was ruled out leg before wicket after offering no stroke to a delivery that pitched and turned in.

Darren Bravo, who made a solid half-century in the first innings, looked comfortable against the spinners during his knock of 31 before he was caught behind off the bowling of Nuwan Pradeep.

Wicketkeeper Denesh Ramdin then added 48 runs for the sixth wicket with Blackwood before becoming newcomer Milinda Siriwardana’s second victim of the innings when he was caught at second slip. West Indies lost four wickets in the morning session to give Sri Lanka complete control of the game.

After lunch, captain Jason Holder was brilliantly run out by Mathews with a direct hit from first slip as Sri Lanka’s fielding impressed.

Blackwood hit out in an attempt to avoid an innings defeat. He was the last man dismissed when he sliced Dhammika Prasad’s delivery straight to deep cover. Prasad and Siriwardana finished with two wickets apiece.

Sri Lanka’s innings of 484 all out was propelled by Dimuth Karunaratne’s career best 187 and Dinesh Chandimal’s 151.

The second and final Test starts Thursday at P Sara Oval in Colombo.

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