Rain disrupts Herath’s good work

Chris DHAMBARAGE reporting from Pallekele

CRICKET: Left-arm spinner Rangana Herath came out with a high class of spin bowling to frustrate the West Indies before bad weather once again intervened on the fourth day of the third and final Test match which continued at the Pallekele International Stadium in Kandy yesterday.

The thirty-two year old stole the limelight on another wet and gloomy day as the visitors slumped to 303 for 8 in their first innings when rain halted play shortly after the lunch interval at 12.50 p.m.

The players returned to the middle after lunch but only two overs were possible as another shower forced them back into the dressing room with the West Indies progressing towards 303 for 8.

Herath bowled unchanged during the first session of play and was searching for his fifth five wicket haul after having returned excellent figures of four wickets for 54 from 23 overs.

He made a huge impression and really threatened to run through the West Indian late order batting by striking twice in successive deliveries. In fact Herath made a vital breakthrough as early as in the second over of the day after West Indies had resumed from their overnight total of 244 for 5.

Herath was able to capture the key wicket of Brendon Nash with his second delivery of the day that pushed the visitors on the back foot from the very beginning.

Nash of course played well for his top score of 67 from 116 deliveries which included five boundaries. Herath in his next over trapped Carlton Baugh in front of the wicket after an unsuccessful referral to the third umpire by the batsman.

The West Indies looked like recovering through the pair of skipper Darren Sammy and all rounder Sulieman Benn who hoisted two towering sixes off Ajantha Mendis and Rangana Herath.

However Herath captured his third wicket of the day by removing Darren Sammy after the pair had added 21 useful runs for the eighth wicket. Lunch was taken early following a drizzle during the drinks break at 11.05 a.m and the match was eventually called off for the day at 2.45 p.m.
 

	Score board

WeST IndIeS - 1ST InnInGS
(overnight 244-5)
C. Gayle lbw b Lakmal 				 0
D. Smith lbw b Mendis 				55
Darren Bravo lbw b Fernando 			68
S. Chanderpaul c M. Jayawardene b Mendis 	54
B. Nash c P. Jayawardene b Herath 		67
Dwayne Bravo st P. Jayawardene b Herath 	 0
C. Baugh lbw b Herath 				 2
D. Sammy lbw b Herath 				 8
S. Benn not out 				29
K. Roach not out 				12
Extras (lb4, nb3, w1) 				 8
Total (for eight wkts; 103.3 overs) 	       303

Fall of wickets: 1-0, 2-115,3-142, 4-241, 5-242
		 6-252, 7-253, 8-274.
Bowling: Lakmal 17.3-5-41-1
	 Mathews 10-4-34-0
 	 Dilshan 10-1-20-0
 	 Fernando 15-2-72-1 (w1)
 	 Mendis 28-6-78-2 (nb3)
	 Herath 23-5-54-4