Perera seals SL's historic win
Off-spinner Dilruwan Perera bagged six wickets to fashion Sri Lanka's historic series win over Australia Saturday as the world number one side suffered a humiliating 229-run loss inside three days in the second Test in Galle.
Australia, chasing a challenging 413 for victory, were bundled out for 183 after lunch as Sri Lanka, who won their last series against the visitors in 1999, took an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match rubber.
Veteran spinner Rangana Herath set up the win for the hosts with his maiden Test hattrick which helped dismiss Australia for a record low of 106 in their first innings.
Australia faltered in their second outing as well after Perera, who registered his career-best figures of 6-70, sent the visitors packing in just 50.1 overs as the Sri Lankan players went into a celebratory huddle.
"Not many teams do this to the number one team. I thought we played some outstanding cricket throughout the first and the second Test," Sri Lankan skipper Angelo Mathews said.
Perera, who bagged 10 wickets in the match, bowled Adam Voges to register his fourth five-wicket haul in 11 Test matches.
"What a performance from Dilruwan [Perera] after a quiet match in Pallekele. We backed him and the selectors backed him," said Mathews of his bowling allrounder, who also top-scored a useful 64 in the second innings.
But it was Herath's left-arm spin that did the early damage in a match dominated by Sri Lankan slow bowlers.
Herath and Perera shared four wickets between them on a chaotic second day which saw the fall of 21 wickets and put the match on the fast track.
"The record shows we haven't won a game in about 15 or 16 years in the sub-continent. We certainly have a lot of work to do," a disappointed Smith said after the loss.
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