Galle, July 11: Left-arm spinner Prabath Jayasuriya picked up the fourth-best figures in the history of Test match cricket by a debutant to back up Dinesh Chandimal’s first double hundred as Sri Lanka beat Australia by an innings and 39 runs on Monday.
Australia lost nine wickets in a dramatic last session to lose the game with a day to spare. It was Sri Lanka’s first win by an innings against Australia since they first met in 1983.
Australia had conceded a first innings lead of 190 and its openers did well to add 49 runs for the first wicket before Ramesh Mendis made the breakthrough by dismissing David Warner (24). Jayasuriya then ran through the middle order, bowling with impeccable control pitching to perfect lengths to hamper the Australian batsmen.
It was a remarkable turnaround for Sri Lanka, routed by 10 wickets in the first Test and then losing four players due to COVID-19. They brought in three debutants: Jayasuriya Player-of-the-Match with 12 wickets for 177 runs, Maheesh Theekshana (3 wickets), and Kamindu Mendis hit a half-century.
Former captain Chandimal put Sri Lanka in a winning position with a stunning counterattack to post his career-best score. Chandimal resumed the day on 118 and was unbeaten on 206 to become the first Sri Lankan to post a double hundred against Australia. He batted for over nine hours and faced 326 deliveries with 16 fours and five sixes.
When Sri Lanka’s ninth wicket fell, Chandimal was 159 not out and it didn’t look like he would get to a double hundred. The right-hander hit two consecutive sixes off Mitchell Starc to complete his double hundred and was named player of the series. (AP)
