Colombo, Nov. 27: Sri Lanka’s spinners, led by Rangana Herath, put in an impressive performance as the second Test against the West Indies ended in a draw on the fifth and final day on Saturday.
Herath removed Dwayne Bravo, Sulieman Benn and Carlton Baugh (50) as the West Indies were bowled out for 243 in their first innings just before tea in reply to Sri Lanka’s 387-9 declared. Sri Lanka declared in their second innings on 57-1, with Tharanga Paranavitana scoring 20 not out and skipper Kumar Sangakkara one not out.
Opener Tillakaratne Dilshan (26) was the lone batsman to be dismissed, caught behind off Bravo. The West Indies, set an improbable 202-run target off 21 overs, lost openers Chris Gayle (three) and Adrian Barath (eight) before reaching 12-2 in their second innings when play was called off due to bad light.
Ajantha Mendis trapped Barath leg-before and Dilshan had Gayle caught by former captain Mahela Jayawardene at first slip.
The three-Test series is tied 0-0 after the drawn matches in Galle and Colombo. The final Test starts in Pallekele on Dec 1. West Indies wicketkeeper Baugh earlier hit six fours in his second Test half-century to help his team avoid the follow-on.
The tourists, resuming at 165/5 after rain washed out the morning session, slipped from 205/5 to 209/8 in the afternoon with Herath taking two wickets and debutant paceman Suranga Lakmal one. They started the day needing 23 runs with five wickets in hand to make Sri Lanka bat again and made them comfortably as Bravo (20) and Baugh played cautiously.
Scoreboard
Sri Lanka 1st innings 387/9 decl.
West Indies 1st innings: Gayle c Mathews b Lakmal 30, Barath lbw b Kulasekara 3, Darren Bravo c Herath b Dilshan 80, Chanderpaul lbw b Mendis 8, B. Nash lbw b Dilshan 29, Dwayne Bravo st P. Jayawardene b Herath 20, Baugh b Herath 50, D. Sammy c Mathews b Lakmal 2, S. Benn c Paranavitana b Herath 0, S. Shillingford n.o. 5, Roach b Mendis 3.
Extras (lb-5, nb-8) 13.
Total (for all out; 71.3 overs) 243
FoW: 1-7, 2-51, 3-77, 4-160, 5-161, 6-205, 7-208, 8-209, 9-240, 10-243.
Bowling: Mendis 16.3-1-56-2, Lakmal 16-1-84-2, Kulasekara 11-5-17-1, Herath 23-3-76-3, Mathews 3-2-1-0, Dilshan 2-0-4-2.
Sri Lanka 2nd innings: T. Paranavitana n.o. 20, T. Dilshan c Baugh b Dwayne Bravo 26, K. Sangakkara n.o. 1. Extras (b-5, lb-4, w-1) 10.
Total (in 15 overs) 57/1 decl.
FoW: 1-55.
Bowling: Roach 5-0-15-0, Sammy 4-1-16-0, Dwayne Bravo 4-1-8-1, Benn 2-0-9-0.
West Indies 2nd innings:
C. Gayle c M. Jayawardene b Dilshan 3, A. Barath lbw b Mendis 8, Darren Bravo n.o. 0, S. Chanderpaul n.o.0. Extras (nb-1) 1
Total (in 11 overs) 12/2
FoW: 1-9, 2-11.
Bowling: Lakmal 2-0-7-0, Dilshan 5-2-4-1, Mendis 3-2-1-1, Herath 1-1-0-0.