Second new ball does the trick for Sri Lanka

 Sri Lanka Test Captain Dhananjaya de Silva receives the trophy for winning the one-off Test against Afghanistan from Nippon Paints (Lanka) Deputy General Manager Daminda de Silva

Player of the Match Prabath Jayasuriya

• Wins inaugural Test against Afghanistan by ten wickets
• Player of the Match Prabath Jayasuriya    

The second new ball taken immediately when it became due after 80 overs proved the undoing of Afghanistan as they succumbed to a heavy ten-wicket defeat to Sri Lanka with a day to spare in the inaugural Test match played between the two countries at the SSC grounds yesterday.

Until its arrival, Afghanistan continued their resolute fightback to be 211-1. But once the two set- batters Rahmat Shah and Ibrahim Zadran were dismissed, the wheels fell apart for the second time in the match for the Afghans as they lost six for 36 in one session to be all out for 296, leaving Sri Lanka with a target of 56 to win.

Dimuth Karunaratne (32*) and Nishan Madushka (22*) then made light of the run chase reaching it in 7.2 overs. It was a fresh beginning for Sri Lanka under a new selection committee that appointed new captains for each of the three formats who in turn produced winning results. Kusal Mendis (ODI 2-0) and Wanindu Hasaranga (T20I 2-1) against Zimbabwe, and yesterday, Dhananjaya de Silva, making a winning start to his Test captaincy.   

Once again it was the Afghanistan lower order that let them down. In the first innings from a promising 155-4 they collapsed to 198 all out, and yesterday from 214-1 they were dismissed for 296. The top five in the batting order made the majority of the runs, while the bottom six were all dismissed for single digits.

Sri Lanka had five overs in the morning before they could take the second new ball and they kept it tight allowing Afghanistan to add only 12 runs to their overnight score of 199-1. 

Left-arm spinner Prabath Jayasuriya who had maintained a tight line and length bowled his first 35 overs for 76 runs without any success. But armed with the new ball he created havoc amongst the Afghanistan batters bowling unchanged to take 5/31 off 12 overs in one spell. He completely shut the lid of an Afghanistan revival once Kasun Rajitha had broken the second wicket stand of 108 between Ibrahim Zadran and Rahmat Shah, by having Rahmat caught behind the wicket to a peach of a delivery for 54 scored off 119 balls (5 fours).

Ibrahim Zadran became the first of Jayasuriya’s five victims when he was bowled through the gate for a tenacious knock of 114 off 260 balls. He was a study of concentration and defence during his 399 minutes stay at the wicket. Although he did not score quickly, Ibrahim managed to forge two century partnerships with his uncle Noor Ali Zadran (47) and Rahmat Shah which enabled Afghanistan to wipe out the first innings deficit of 241.

What followed next was the beauty of Test cricket. Two 100-run partnerships followed by a flurry of wickets that left Afghanistan leading by only two digits.

Jayasuriya went onto take a five-fer (5/107) - his seventh in 10 Tests. The second new ball provided him with more turn and grip and that was all he needed to make an impact and take the Player of the Match award.

The SSC was a perfect example of a Test match pitch where there were runs for the batsmen and wickets for the bowlers who were prepared to go that extra hard yard. Afghanistan’s inexperience in red ball cricket came through. They took a few positives from the defeat and the more they play red ball cricket they are bound to improve as they have done in the two white ball formats.

As for Sri Lanka this victory will boost their morale for the upcoming 3-match ODI and 

3-match T20I series against Afghanistan, after the 2-0 loss to Pakistan in their last Test series.