Mathews hails Herath, Lanka’s one-legged hero

AFP: Skipper Angelo Mathews hailed Rangana Herath as Sri Lanka’s one-legged hero Wednesday after the veteran spinner played through the pain barrier to once again demolish Australia’s batting line-up.

The 38-year-old Herath took seven for 64 in Australia’s second innings of the third and final Test, finishing with 13 wickets in the match, to confirm his status as the outstanding player of the series.

But it was an even more remarkable feat given that he had to retire hurt while batting in Sri Lanka’s first innings after being struck in the groin while putting on a gritty 33 at the Sinhalese Sports Club (SSC).

Herath visibly struggled at times in both the Australian innings in Colombo but such was his value that he remained skipper Angelo Mathews go-to man throughout as he sent down 56 overs.

“He was fantastic. He was bowling off one leg,” Mathews told reporters as he singled out Herath while assessing the reasons behind Sri Lanka’s first ever clean sweep in a series against a major Test team.

“He couldn’t run and he couldn’t jump. He was just landing the ball on one leg and he is unbelievable.

“The batsmen are having a nightmare facing him no matter how well they play spin. Credit should go to this man. He has been a great team man as well.”

Herath took a total of 28 wickets in the three Tests, including a match-winning five for 54 in the first match in Pallekele and a hat-trick in the second in Galle.

The left-arm spinner has already called it quits in ODI and T20 cricket and has hinted that retirement from Tests is not far away but indicated on Wednesday that he wanted to add to his tally of 332 wickets.

“Experience counts a lot, every day we learn,” Herath said as he accepted his man of the match award.

“I haven’t decided anything on Tests, we will go series by series. Hopefully I wish to play next series.”

No freebies

Australian skipper Steve Smith, who was dismissed by Herath in both innings in Colombo, acknowledged that he was a class act.

“He’s a very tough character to face,” Smith told reporters.

“He’s always at you, he’s always at your stumps, he changes his pace beautifully and bowls from different parts of the crease, changes his angles up,” Smith said.

“You never really get a freebie off him or an easy boundary....He is a terrific bowler in these conditions and he has had a magnificent series.”

Smith admitted that Australia, who have now lost their status as number one Test side to India, were comprehensively beaten by the Sri Lankans.

“We have been outplayed in every facet of the game,” said Smith who had been unbeaten as captain before the series.

“Our plans haven’t worked as individuals or as a collective group, we haven’t been able to put Sri Lanka under as much pressure as we would have liked,” he added.

Mendis’ 176 was the series turnaround: Mathews

ESPNCricinfo: Sri Lanka captain Angelo Mathews has said Kusal Mendis’ 176 in Pallekele was the performance upon which the series against Australia pivoted.

Mendis had come to the crease with Sri Lanka still 80 runs behind, and already two second-innings wickets down. But his faultless innings spurred a middle-order resurgence, and Sri Lanka posted a score of 353, on a quickly wearing track. Australia fell well short of the target of 268. Sri Lanka then won the Galle Test in under three days, and were dominant through the back end of the SSC match.

“The key point I thought was Kusal Mendis’ innings - that was the turnaround for the whole series after getting all out for 117 at Pallekele,” Mathews said. “It was a special effort by him to get us on to a winning track. From there onwards it really kicked off. The confidence levels were sky high from there. We worked very hard and actually we worked harder than the first two Tests ahead of the third Test as we were desperate to finish this 3-0.”

Despite having top-scored in each of the first two Tests, Mendis was the second-highest run-scorer in the series, surpassed by 24-year-old Dhananjaya de Silva, who collected 325 runs at an average of 65. Mendis, however, had only scored one first-class century before this series, and had been picked almost solely on potential, when he initially made the Test team last October.

“It’s just pure talent, with the young batsmen,” Mathews said. “I suppose Dhananjaya has played a bit of first-class cricket, but Kusal Mendis hasn’t. We’ve got to take that chance with some people sometimes, and it’s paid off. You can see the way they batted in extreme conditions - it was turning square. They had Nathan Lyon, Jon Holland, and Steve O’Keefe in the first game. Mitchell Starc has been outstanding in the last three or four weeks as well. The calmness and composure of Dhananjaya at No. 7 was great. He handled that pressure well. Kusal Perera also played some brisk knocks, so the future is bright.”

Rangana Herath, however, was Sri Lanka’s key performer in the series. He claimed 28 wickets at an average of 12.75. Only Muttiah Muralitharan has taken more wickets for Sri Lanka in a single series - against Zimbabwe in 2001. Herath had also been visibly hampered by a groin injury during the SSC Test, in which he took 13 for 145.

“Rangana was fantastic,” Mathews said. “He was bowling off one leg, but one leg was enough for him. He got hit while batting and then he had a groin strain. He couldn’t run and he couldn’t jump. He was just landing the ball on one leg, and he is unbelievable. He has taken 28 wickets in the series and is one of the best I have seen. The batsmen are having a nightmare facing him no matter how well they play spin. He has been a great team man as well.”

Herath himself said that he did not envision a whitewash against Australia, prior to the series. He echoed Mathews’ praise of Mendis and de Silva, but also had encouraging words for left-arm wristspinner Lakshan Sandakan, who took nine wickets at an average of 23 across the three Tests - though, he did not get a breakthrough at the SSC.

“Sandakan had a good game at Pallekele,” Herath said. “What I believe is, that when you have three spinners, all three are not going to get wickets in the same game. It will vary. He is a very good bowler. He has to also learn a few things - like control. I am pretty sure that he will learn quickly, and become a very good bowler.”