Both captains praise http://www.senore.com/Cricket/HMRKB-Herath-c1559 after the first Test – Cricket News Update
After an outclass performance in the first Test of the series against the Black Caps at Galle, Rangana Herath, the Sri Lankan spinner, has earned praise from his skipper as well as the http://www.senore.com/Cricket/New-Zealand-c754 captain, who believe that the left-armer turned out to be the difference between the two teams.
The left-arm spinner picked up five wickets in the first innings to break the back of the visitors’ batting line-up and followed it up by a six-for in the second innings to wrap-up the match for the Islanders.
http://www.senore.com/Cricket/LRPL-Taylor-c1849, the Kiwi skipper, expressed after the match that the veteran spinner bowled out of his skin, not giving any lose balls to the New Zealand batsmen and picking up vital wickets at key junctures of the game.
The captain also praised the efforts of http://www.senore.com/Cricket/AD-Mathews-c913, who accumulated 156 runs for the sixth-wicket partnership in the first innings, which helped the home team go past the New Zealand total.
The visitors did not play any practice matches going into the Test series, which in http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Taylor-c92915’s opinion, hampered their progress. The middle-order batsman has hinted some changes in the playing-11 for the second match, which begins from November 25, at Colombo.
“Herath put us under pressure all the while. The way schedules are these days it can't be helped (lack of warm-ups). The new ball bowlers bowled exceptionally well,” Taylor expressed. “The partnership between Angelo and Mahela took the game away. I'm sure there will be a couple of changes before the next Test, but we will have to see the wicket.”
Meanwhile, the Lankan captain, Jayawardene, mentioned that Herath has taken over the role of a spearhead in the team in the absence of http://www.senore.com/Cricket/TM-Dilshan-c2691 will come back into the team as soon as he is fit again.
“He (Herath) has taken a lot of responsibility. When Dilshan is fit he will walk straight into the side, positive to see Dimuth bat. Happy with the young talent but it's a work in progress,” said Jayawardene.
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