GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday August 19, 2014
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Sri Lanka win gives Jayawardene perfect sendoff .. Herath takes 14 wickets as Sri Lanka seal 2-0 series win
The Sri Lankan team with the series trophy after beating Pakistan on the fifth day. COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (Reuters) - Former captain Mahela Jayawardene was given a fairytale sendoff in his last Test match as Sri Lanka eased to a 105-run victory that completed a 2-0 series sweep over Pakistan yesterday. The victory enabled batting stalwart Jayawardene to end his 149-Test career with a victory on an emotional day for the 37-year-old, who scored 11 814 runs at an average of 49.84.
“Thank you so much for all the wishes! Got up and realised it’s my last day. Bit emotional but the journey has been great!” Jayawardene tweeted before play began as he pouched two more catches to finish with a world record Test tally of 205. “The boys turned up to win these two Tests for Mahela. The amount of work that he has done in the past 17 years is unbelievable,” Sri Lanka captain Angelo Mathews told
reporters. “I just want to thank Mahela personally I am glad that he is there with us for six more months in the ODI (one-day) format until the next world cup. “We won the Test series for him and it was an emotional day for everyone but all good things come to an end,” he added. After ripping through the Pakistan order the previous evening, Sri Lanka were forced to wait for nearly
an hour before capturing the last two wickets with Ranagana Herath claiming his 14th victim of the match to dismiss the tourists for 165 in their second innings. Wahab Riaz was the last man out for 17 when he top-edged a delivery from Herath to cover that Kaushal Silva held on to despite colliding with Kumar Sangakkara, who was also attempting to catch the ball. Junaid Khan did not bat due to injury. At the fall of the final wicket, all thoughts turned to the departing Jayawardene, who first met with his parents and Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa in his VIP suite before returning to the field to be hoisted on the shoulders of his team mates and carried around the ground. HERATH BRILLIANCE Earlier, Chanaka Welegedara dismissed the last front line batsman when Sarfraz Ahmed, having completed his fourth fifty in as many innings, attempted to sweep the paceman from outside off stump and hit the ball straight to Sangakkara at square leg. Sarfraz scored 55 off 89 balls
with two fours. Saeed Ajmal was left stranded on three not out as Herath took another five wickets to add to his nine in the first innings for a career-best return of 14-184, earning him the man-of-thematch and series awards. “Herath is unbelievable; he single-handedly won us the two Tests,” Mathews said. “The way he bowled in the series even the best batsmen in the world would have found it difficult to negotiate him.” Pakistan captain Misbah-ulHaq highlighted Herath’s brilliant bowling, completing the series with 23 wickets at an average of 15.13, as the key to Sri Lanka’s dominance. “Credit should be given to Sri Lanka for the way they played but Herath was the difference between the two teams,” Misbah said. “We played him pretty well in the past series in Dubai but this time I could really say that he bowled very well and he was a totally different bowler. “That created a problem for us. In the past, we played him better than this ... it’s not an excuse, instead we are meant to appreciate
Scoreboard SRI LANKA 1st innings 320 (U. Tharanga 92; J. Khan 5-87) Pakistan 1st innings 332 (S. Ahmed 103, A. Shehzad 58; R. Herath 9-127) Sri Lanka 2nd innings 282 (K. Sangakkara 59, M. Jayawardene 54) PAKISTAN 2nd innings (o/n: 127-7; Target: 271 runs) K. Manzoor c Dickwella b Prasad 10 A. Shehzad lbw b Prasad 8 Az. Ali c M. Jayawardene b Herath 10 Y. Khan lbw b Herath 8 Misbah-ul-Haq c M. Jayawardene b Herath 3 A. Shafiq stp. Dickwella b Herath 32 S. Ahmed c Sangakkara b Welegedara 55 A. Rehman lbw b D. Perera 5 W. Riaz c K. Silva b Herath 17 S. Ajmal not out 3 J. Khan absent injured Extras: (b-4, lb-7, nb-3) 14 Total: (all out, 52.1 overs) 165 Fall of wickets: 1-17, 2-21, 3-31, 4-39, 5-50, 6-105, 7-122, 8-151, 9-165. Bowling: C. Welegedara 9-4-22-1, D. Prasad 8-0-29-2 (nb-3), R. Herath 22.1 -2-57 -5, D. Perera 13-1-46-1.
someone who had been very good against us. “Losing to them isn’t really what you call a humiliation as they played better cricket than we.”
Farewell hero Jayawardene, still chasing World Cup dream COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (Reuters) - Former captain Mahela Jayawardene left the Test scene yesterday, vowing to devote his energies towards helping Sri Lanka win another 50-over World Cup next year in Australia and New Zealand. Sri Lanka last won the World Cup in 1996 and were beaten in the final in 2007 and 2011. The 37-year-old Jayawardene ended his Test career on a high as his team beat Pakistan by 105 runs to take the two-match series 2-0. Victory sparked memorable scenes with the master batsman congratulated by President Mahinda Rajapaksa before being carried around the ground by his team mates amid the lighting of firecrackers. “Right now I don’t have any plans and I’ve not signed any contracts,” Jayawardene told a packed news conference. “It all depends on what kind of interest
I get in the next six months or so. “For me right now the thing is to get myself motivated for the next World Cup, to get myself fit and ready. I can’t guarantee I will be part of the squad but my focus will be to try to get another winner’s medal.” Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakkara were given a fitting farewell when they retired from Twenty20 cricket as Sri Lanka beat India in the final in Dhaka in April. Right-hander Jayawardene, who compiled 11 814 runs at an average of 49.84 in his 149 Tests, said the most treasured moment of his 17year international career was getting his hands on his first cap. BEST DAY He made his debut against India in Colombo in 1997 in a match where Sri Lanka amassed the highest total in Test cricket - 952 for six declared. “The best day of my life was receiving my first Test cap from captain Arjuna Ranatunga,” said
Jayawardene. “I place a huge value on that cap. “I feel very honoured to wear this cap and it’s not an easy thing to let go. “This is a great thing in Sri Lanka cricket. Everyone wears it with a lot of pride and passion.” Jayawardene said it was the “right time” to quit the longer form of the game. “The decision for me to retire was something I have been thinking about for some time,” he explained. “It was just a gut feeling but I’ve always gone with my gut feeling. “Given the fact that we won’t have any home Test cricket for another 12 months it’s time for a new generation to take over and move on. “I will try and help in that rebuilding process as far as I can but I don’t think I have the patience to become a coach having played in the team for 17 years,” said Jayawardene.
Chanaka Welegedara and Dhammika Prasad chair Mahela Jayawardene around the outfield at the end of the second Test, yesterday.