Coming into his last international Test match, Sri Lankan veteran spinner Rangana Herath needed just a wicket in the 1st Test match between Sri Lanka and England at Galle to join an elite list of players to pick up 100 or more wickets at a single Test venue. Here, Herath got the rival captain, Joe Root, to make a grand entry into the list!
Herath cleaned up Joe Root in the first session on Day 1 to make this milestone. After losing two early wickets, Joe Root paired up with opener Keaton Jennings and stitched a 62-run stand for the third wicket to help England recover from the early blows. That is when Herath took things into his own hands and dismissed Root which helped him bag this unique milestone.
Having made his Test debut at the same venue in 1999, Rangana Herath has now picked up 100 wickets at Galle at an average of just over 24. He joins his former team mate Muttiah Muralitharan and England’s James Anderson to pick up 100 or more wickets at a single Test venue.
Interestingly, Muralitharan made this feat at three different venues – 166 wickets at Colombo (SSC), 117 wickets in Kandy and 111 wickets at Galle. On the other hand, James Anderson picked up 103 wickets at the Lord’s venue and made this feat in the recent India tour of England in the month of August.
The ongoing 1st Test match of the 3-match series between Sri Lanka and England will be Herath’s last Test match in his career as the 40-year old decided to hang up his boots at the international arena. The 2nd Test match of the series will be played at Pallekele (Nov 14 – 18) while both teams will move to Sinhalese Sports Club for the third and final Test match (Nov 23 – 27) of the series.
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