Rangana Herath picked up four wickets, while spin partner Milinda Siriwardana took three as Sri Lanka defeated the West Indies by 72 runs on the fifth day of the second and final Test yesterday to win the series 2-0.
The West Indies, who lost the first Test in Galle by an innings and six runs, were all out for 171 in the second session as their wait for a first win in the format in Sri Lanka continues.
The tourists made a bright start in their chase of 244, but their hopes of a series-leveling win dimmed after they lost three quick wickets to the spinners in the morning, with batting mainstay Darren Bravo (61) the only one to offer some resistance.
“It was a hard-fought win, our bowlers were under constant pressure because our batsmen didn’t deliver,” Sri Lanka captain Angelo Mathews said. “I never had doubts about my bowlers.”
The West Indies resumed on 20-1 after rain washed away the final session on the third day and the entire fourth day’s play, and they looked in firm control of their chase.
Shai Hope, who was unbeaten during the weather disruption, and Bravo started positively, taking the attack to the spinners to add 60 for the second wicket.
Mathews turned to all-rounder Siriwardana to break the stand and the left-arm spinner did by dismissing Hope with his fifth delivery.
Hope danced down the wicket to the bowler, but the ball spun enough to beat his bat and resulted in an easy stumping for wicketkeeper Kusal Perera.
Out-of-form Marlon Samuels (6) survived several nervous moments before falling to Dilruwan Perera with Mathews completing a sharp catch at slip.
Siriwardana, who was adjudged man of the match for his all-round performance, claimed his second wicket when Jermaine Blackwood (4) was out leg before wicket with the West Indies quickly slumping from 80-1 to 102-4.
Blackwood challenged the umpire’s decision, but failed to have it overturned.
Left-hander Bravo handled the spinners well with some positive footwork and completed his 13th half-century in Tests with three fours and two sixes.
Herath, who was targeted by Bravo and hit for two consecutive sixes, got in on the act after lunch by dismissing wicketkeeper Denesh Ramdin (10) and Bravo in the same over to banish any hopes of a West Indies victory.
“As a spinner and a bowler, we got to take responsibility,” Herath said after being adjudged the man of the series for his 15 wickets in two Tests. “As a bowler you might get hit for three or four sixes. I don’t mind. At the end we took them out.”
The wily left-arm spinner also dismissed Jerome Taylor (1) and then returned to take the final wicket of Kemar Roach (13).
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