Sri Lanka's first Test win a game for the ages

As the wily Rangana Herath hit the stumps to end Stephen O’Keefe’s courageous 98-ball resistance with a trademark arm ball, he handed Sri Lanka the most unlikely of wins.

Just down the road from Asgiriya Stadium, where, as a fresh faced 21-year-old sitting in the wings, he had watched his nation record their first (and until today their only) ever victory over Australia in 1999.

That game, which was right before Herath’s debut in the next Test, had seen one of Sri Lanka’s finest generations achieve what had so long eluded them and continued to do so for the next 17 years – a win against the mighty Aussies.

Now well into the twilight of his career, Herath again gets to savour the sweet taste of victory against the most prolific of opponents – and this time having played a crucial part.

It had all seemed too easy for the visitors. Having lost the toss on Day 1 on a seemingly decent batting surface, the Aussies promptly rolled over the hapless home team’s batting for what looked like a farcical 117.

Despite the early losses of Joe Burns and the crucial David Warner, they seemed to be cruising at 2/69 when, quite against the run of play, Steve Smith threw his wicket away with an incredulous bit of batting.

This became a crucial incident in the overall outcome of the game, as, with growing confidence (despite a 60-run partnership between Voges and Marsh), the Lankans managed to restrict Australia to a under-par (but still tough) lead of 86.

In fact, by the start of the third day, even those 80 odd runs seemed out of reach for the home team. At 2/6 and up against a rampant Mitchell Starc, they looked likely to collapse to an embarrassing (but not altogether unexpected) innings defeat.

But, just as a 21-year old Herath would prove his worth to Sri Lanka in that 1999 series, so too another 21-year-old played a crucial part with a priceless innings in this Test.

Kusal Mendis, playing only his second game at home and seventh Test overall, played one of the greatest knocks ever by a Sri Lankan against Australia, his 176 alone accounting for 50 per cent of Sri Lanka’s total.

Amongst the failure of the top-order, he almost single handedly dragged Sri Lanka towards victory from the jaws of defeat. In fact, for a large period of the innings, he threatened at breaking the oldest record in cricket, that for the greatest contribution to a team total by a single batsman. The record is still safely under the name of Charles Bannerman with 67.35%.

Still, as rain cut short yet another day of cricket, Australia were not out of the race – as they proved on the fourth morning, getting rid of Mendis early on. But, in what ultimately proved to be one of the crucial factors in Sri Lanka’s victory, their tail almost uncharacteristically put up a fight, scoring 79 priceless runs, 35 of which came from the bat of that man Herath.

To cap it all off, the influential O’Keefe had hobbled off with a hamstring complaint the previous evening, potentially ending his involvement in the series.

Facing a tough chase of 286 on a deteriorating Pallekelle pitch, the Aussies finished the day on 3/83, having lost Warner, Burns and Khawaja. Crucially they still had captain Smith and the 93-averaging Voges in the middle, setting up a cracker of a final day, with both sides having a decent chance at victory.

The final day had begun much like the fourth, delayed by rain that threatened throughout the day to have the decisive say on the result. But the Lankans held on, removing Voges early and- after a strong partnership of 43 between Smith and Mitchell Marsh, the captain too found himself back in the sheds.

The game precariously positioned, with either side still able to lay claim to a win, the Lankan spinners then began the most decisive period of play, in which the last real threats of an Australian win vanished in four overs.

Under the menacingly gloomy skies of Kandy, the Aussies crumbled from 4/139 to 7/141, the wickets of Marsh and Mitch Starc effectively ending their push for a win. Heading into lunch, with the ever-darkening skies above, their were only two potential winners – Sri Lanka or rain.

After the dismissal of Lyon leaving the visitors at 8/157, the only question left was when the eventual victory would come for the Lankans.

Unsurprisingly, Australia would add only four runs to their final total- but would make the bowlers work for their final two wickets in a stubborn show of resilience (including a further time-waste in an unauthorised drinks break). That, coupled with the threat of rain, almost snatched them a draw.

An effort of four runs in 178 balls – a new record for the lowest strike rate in a partnership – between an immobile O’Keefe and keeper Peter Nevill had the visitors praying for the unlikeliest of saves. However, any number of frantic rain dances performed by them were in vain, as the weather miraculously stayed clear just long enough for the crucial wickets of Nevill and O’Keefe to be taken, the latter quite fittingly by Herath.

As Sri Lanka celebrated in the middle, Herath holding his arms exhaustedly aloft, the true winner was Test cricket. A supposed write-off victory for the Australians being won by the unfancied Lankans, setting up a tantalising rest-of-the-series that could potentially see the home team win the Warne-Muralitharan trophy for the very first time.

And, regardless of the outcome of the series, Sri Lanka has gained an invaluable victory, which might just lead to an upturn in their fortunes in the long run.