Herath Hits the Heights!

That Sri Lanka beat Zimbabwe 2-0 in the latest Test series can be no surprise to anyone. Neither was the fact that their stand-in skipper Rangana Herath took plenty of wickets. However, after so many years in the shadow of Muttiah Muralitharan, his reaching 350 wickets with another ten-wicket haul has perhaps crept up on us with silent speed.

Only five men have than 350 Test wickets in fewer games, and only one spinner (Murali) has done so. Herath has become the first captain since Kapil Dev in 1985 to capture eight victims in an innings, and his 13-152 was the best ever bowling performance in Zimbabwe. Furthermore, no bowler still in the game has more five-fors (28) to his name. The impressive stats go on.

Perhaps the one which struck me most was that he became only the third man, after Dale Steyn and the inevitable Murali, to snaffle a five-wicket haul against all other Test playing countries. That’s quite a milestone in this day and age. And yet in my mind something prevents him from taking his place in the pantheon of all-time greats.

The thing is, for all his eye-catching exploits during 2016, including his leading role in that 3-0 demolition of Australia, he has done very little outside Sri Lanka. On home territory he has taken 231 wickets at 23 in 41 Tests, which is pretty darned good. But away, the record is a meagre 96 at 38 in 24. In the neutral UAE, it’s a similar story: 24 at 36 in six matches.

It’s not just a matter of Asia; good; rest of the world: bad. Not only in England and New Zealand, but also Bangladesh and India is Herath’s Test average worse than 45. At 38 years old, he may not have many opportunities to improve on these stats. Nevertheless, he seems to be in prime form right now and, particularly in Angelo Mathews’ enforced absence, is increasingly important to his country’s fortunes.

Yet what impresses me most about his career facts and figures is not what he has done on the international stage. These days, top bowlers focus primarily on Tests, ODIs and so on. Therefore it is highly unusual for anyone to take 700 first-class wickets in the twenty-first century. Herath is just 20 short of 1,000. And that is with relatively few years in county cricket, where the likes of Murali, Walsh, Marshall, Kumble and Warne supplemented their Test hauls to top the thousand mark.

The Sri Lankan’s first-class record probably owes much to the paucity of his limited-overs appearances. As a superb left-armer, his T20 economy rate is barely six; world-class, you’d think. Maybe his fielding and batting have held him back from Sri Lanka’s ODI and T20 sides. However, in past years he has had the chance to extend his domestic first-class experience.

Whatever else Herath does for his country, I will certainly cheer his joining the 1000 club. That’s genuinely one for the modern record books.

Time for Sri Lanka to make a Test impression in England

The recent ODI series has shown that England and Sri Lanka can engage in a really competitive series of cricket over here. It hasn't always been so in Tests. The first four encounters were all one-offs tagged on to the end of a more lucrative series, followed by a trio of triple-headers. In 13 games, Sri Lanka have won only twice, whilst losing six and drawing the remaining five. Things could have been a lot worse but for the incomparable Muttiah Muralitharan, who took more wickets (48) than just about anyone else put together in the six Tests in which he participated. It goes without saying that he played a huge role in his country's pair of triumphs. To succeed in 2014, new players will need to show the right stuff. Too often, the legendary batsmen Mahela Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakkara have disappointed on England tours so could they sign off with match-winning innings, or will it be left to younger men like Senanayake (if allowed to play!) or Angelo Mathews?

It all began on the August Bank Holiday weekend of 1984. England had been slaughtered by the West Indies so this would be the chance for David Gower's shellshocked side to regain confidence by thrashing the new kids on the block. However, it wasn't the easy ride everyone predicted. Gower won the toss and inserted the visitors, who proceeded to bat solidly and tediously for more than two days! Sidath Wettimuny persevered for almost eight hours for his 190, although skipper Duleep Mendis was much quicker to compile 111. Jon Agnew, Ian Botham and Paul Allott have become highly regarded cricket commentators in recent years but they were made to slog through nearly 100 overs of seam and swing before Mendis declared on 491-7. Despite a hundred from Allan Lamb, England were bowled out 120 short at the end of Day 4. WIth no chance of a result, Amal Silva and Mendis again made batting look easy on a benign closing day.

In 1988 and 1991, England enjoyed routine victories but there followed a seven-year hiatus before Sri Lanka returned for a Test match. By this time, they were no longer easily dismissed as cannon fodder; indeed, they were reigning one-day world champions. Arjana Ranatunga was by now the captain and a draw looked most likely as England scratched around for five sessions and 445 runs, most produced by Graeme Hick (107) and Jon Crawley (156 not out). In place of the snail Wettimuny, Sri Lanka boasted an opener in a very different form: Sanath Jayasuriya. His 213, along with Aravinda De Silva's 152 took the game away from Alec Stewart's hosts. Mr Muralitharan did the rest, finishing the game with 16 wickets for 220 runs from 113 overs! Sri Lanka had broken the duck.

By 2002, the Sri Lankans had finally been granted the respect of a three-match series. Despite the arrival of Mahela and Sanga, Jayasuriya's men were well beaten despite making England follow on in the Lord's opener. Four years forward, and England were in a topsy-turvy Ashes period. Trescothick and Pietersen held their nerve and their wickets while Murali wrought havoc at the other ends to take a 1-0 lead. However, at Trent Bridge, it was a low-scoring affair and came down to a tense fourth day climax. The scene was set for that man Murali yet again. The wily wizard claimed 8-70 and even Monty Panesar was the third top-scorer that afternoon with 26. He even struck the sole six of the innings, but all in vain. The series ended all-square.

Three years ago, Cardiff witnessed an amazing finale. Sri Lanka made a decent 400 but Jonathan Trott's double-century and three figures each for Cook and Bell left Sri Lanka with the fifth day in which to bat out for a draw. Instead, Broad, Tremlett and Swann required a mere 24.4 overs to dismiss Dilshan, Sanga and co for 82 and snatch a memorable innings success. Not even Murali would have been able to rescue that one. Batsmen were on top in the remaining matches and the series ended 1-0 to England.

So what about the best performers spanning the thirty years and thirteen Test matches? For England, it's a difficult task to narrow it down to eleven. For Sri Lanka, it's almost impossible to pick eleven worthy of a place in any fantasy team! Murali would have to bowl non-stop from one end and hope his team-mates didn't concede too many. A winning strategy on occasions but not in a 'Dream XI' like this! My all-time England v Sri Lanka competitors reads as follows:-

England: Alastair Cook (*), Marcus Trescothick, Jonathan Trott, Kevin Pietersen, Ian Bell, Alec Stewart (+), Andrew Flintoff, Graeme Swann, Matthew Hoggard, Chris Tremlett, Monty Panesar.

Sri Lanka: Sidath Wettimuny, Sanath Jayasuriya, Marvan Atapattu, Mahela Jayawardene, Tillakaratne Dilshan, Aravinda de Silva (+), Duleep Mendis, Chaminda Vaas, Chanaga Welegedera, Muttiah Muralitharan, Rangana Herath

It wouldn't be tough for Kulasekera, Mendis or Senanayake to topple Vaas and Welegedera from that team, but England's class of 2014 may struggle to displace Swann and Hoggard. I still predict a 1-0 win for England.