With Keaton Jennings’ reverse sweep which was cut off for 3, Joe Root decided to declare the English 2nd innings in the 1st Test at Galle, marking the end of Rangana Herath’s career as a Test bowler.
Herath, who bowled the previous over from the other end, walked to the dressing room with his team for one last time in Test cricket with figures of 23-1-59-2. A few overs back he had claimed his last International wicket, his 433rd, that of English vice-captain Jos Buttler courtesy a brilliant catch by Kaushal Silva at silly point.
Much to learn from an unsung hero
It is not uncommon for a spinner to go beyond 40. John Traicos was 45 when he played in Zimbabwe’s inaugural Test match….
From when Herath first walked onto the field as a 21-year old back in 1999 to face the mighty Australians, to now, he has been a part of numerous memorable moments in Cricket. From his very first International wicket, that of Ricky Ponting, to becoming the world’s most prolific left-arm bowler in Tests at present, his career has been nothing short of a fairy tale.
As the 40-year old veteran bids adieu to his beloved sport, let’s take a look back at some memorable moments of his gritty career!
The dream comeback!
Living in the shadow of the great Muttiah Muralitharan since his debut, and not being a regular member of the team for almost 10 years, the moment of his life arrived when he was brought back from England, where he was playing league cricket, all the way to Sri Lanka as the replacement for an injured Murali to play Pakistan.
Reaching the team hotel just 24 hours before the start of the match and being named in the playing XI itself was a victory, considering the situation he was in, but Herath won the match for Sri Lanka with a wonderful bowling performance in the 4th innings to claim the Man of the Match award.
Pakistan were set a target of 168 with 2 days and 11 overs left in the Test. With a batting order consisting of players like Salman Butt, Younis Khan, Mohammad Yousuf and Shoaib Malik, the score was very much gettable and Sri Lanka sans Murali were not expected to defend such a low total. But Herath stepped up!
Breaking in to the scene Herath won the match for Sri Lanka almost single handedly, claiming figures of 4/15 in 11.3 overs.
Herath the batsman?
When talking about Rangana Herath the batsman, this is the inning that comes to mind. Incidentally this was Murali’s farewell Test.
The Sri Lankan batsmen first compiled a mammoth 520 runs to set up a convincing win to give the ideal send off to Murali. Batting at 9 Herath put on a 115-run partnership with Lasith Malinga, taking Sri Lanka pass 500.
Rangana Herath scored 80 runs off 93 with 10 boundaries and a six. This unbeaten knock is his best Test score.
The Durban victory!
The post-world cup era in 2011 is a period to forget for Sri Lanka Cricket as they rarely won matches. The only memory to cherish during this period is the Boxing-day Test win against South Africa in Durban.
Rangana Herath, King of the 4th innings
Sri Lanka have successfully defended 200 runs to win a Test match on 3 occasions, a pretty special feat by the Lions. But what…
Rangana Herath with a Man of the Match performance was the hero for Sri Lanka as he claimed 9 wickets in the match. With figures of 4/49 in the 1st innings and 5/79 in the 2nd Herath led the Sri Lankan bowling attack which gave Sri Lanka a famous Test win, their 1st and ONLY Test win on South African soil.
The Kiwi plunder in Chittagong!
Sri Lanka were put in a must-win situation in the 2014 World T20 against New Zealand, in what was a called a virtual quarter-final. Batting first on a turning Chittagong wicket, Sri Lanka were shot out for 119 runs.
The New Zealand batting order which consisted of bashers like Brendon McCullum, Martin Guptill and Ross Taylor were unable to chase the total as Herath stood in their way.
Rangana Herath produced a marvelous bowling performance as he grabbed 5 wickets giving away just 3 runs in 4 overs. He also bowled 2 maidens in his match winning spell. Sri Lanka went on to win the championship eventually.
The perfect foil
Right after the world cup triumph, Sri Lanka’s next assignment was in England. After a nail-biting draw in the 1st Test, Sri Lanka were just 169 runs ahead of England in their 2nd innings when they lost their 7th wicket. Herath then joined skipper Angelo Mathews and put on a partnership of 149 runs to help Sri Lanka gain a very good lead.
Herath playing the perfect support role to Mathews, scoring 48 off 82 deliveries. Herath also claimed 3 wickets to help hand Sri Lanka their first ever Test series win in England.
Herath’s best bowling performance!
It was Mahela Jayawardena’s farewell Test at the SSC in 2014. Rangana Herath grabbed 9 wickets in the 1st innings in which Pakistan took a mere 12-run lead.
In the 2nd innings, with Pakistan needing just 270 runs to win, Herath once again took the lead and grabbed 5 wickets to help Sri Lanka end Mahela’s Test career with a comfortable 105-run win.
Herath claimed match figures 14/184 and also was adjudged Man of the Match.
The Indian collapse at Galle!
This time it was Kumar Sangakkara’s penultimate Test and Sri Lanka were defending 176 runs in the 4th innings. The Indian batting line-up which had the likes of Virat Kohli, Shikhar Dhawan and Ajinkya Rahane were bundled out for just 112 runs giving Sri Lanka a thrilling 163-run win.
After going wicketless in the 1st innings Rangana Herath grabbed 7 wickets in the 2nd innings to hand Sri Lanka an unexpected and unbelievable win.
A hattrick on review!
Rangana Herath claimed Sri Lanka’s 2nd Test hat-trick against Australia at Galle in 2016.
It was the 2nd Test of the 3-match series which Sri Lanka went on to win 3-0. The leftie dismissed Adam Voges, Peter Nevill and Mitchell Starc in the 1st innings as Australia crumbled for 106 runs in reply for Sri Lanka’s 281.
Herath taking 4 wickets in this innings and 2 in the 2nd, took 13 wickets in the next Test in SSC to help Sri Lanka complete the whitewash.
Spin in the dessert!
Rangana Herath grabbed 11 wickets against Pakistan late in 2017 at Abu Dhabi as Sri Lanka defended 136 runs to beat the hosts by 21 runs.
Pakistan, after getting a 3-run 1st innings lead over Sri Lanka, set themselves an easy target of 136 by restricting Sri Lanka to just 138.
Opening the bowling with Suranga Lakmal, Herath ran through the Pakistani batting line-up as he grabbed 6 wickets in the 2nd innings. He also took 5 wickets in the 1st innings.
After delivering brilliant performances in Murali’s last Test, Sanga’s last Test in Galle and Mahela’s last Test, Herath walked away with Sri Lanka on the losing side. The last Test player to debut in the 90s, Herath retired, marking the end of an era of Sri Lankan Cricket!
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