Glorious Test victory for Sri Lanka ... fantastic innings by Kusal!

Glorious Test victory for Sri Lanka ...

fantastic innings by Kusal!

Sri Lanka was able to clinch a memorable victory in the first Test played against South Africa yesterday. It was because of an unbeaten record stand between Kusal Janith Perera and Vishwa Fernando of 78 runs that paved the way for Sri Lanka to record this win by reaching the target placed before them by amassing 304 runs for 9 wickets. Kusal Janith Perera played a confident and distinguished unbeaten innings of 153 runs. 

When the Sri Lankan team was moving towards a target of 304, the 9th wicket too had collapsed at
226 and at a moment when hopes of a victory was lost, Kusal Perera (unbeaten on 153) and Vishwa Fernando (unbeat on 6) managed to collect an unbeaten 78 runs for the last wicket and thus walk along to victory. 

Though the game was expected to stop the game for tea-break, as by then 9 wickets had gone down, the South Africans had a period of 30 minutes to get the last scalp. It was during that period that Sri Lanka was able to get closer to their target. Dale Stent, the best speedster in the world at present came in confrontation with Vishwa Fernando, the last batsman in the Sri Lanka team in the penultimate over before the last 30 minutes was over. Vishwa Fernando scored a run in the third ball of the over and thus switched over to the other end. 

It may have been the anticipation of many that Kusal Perera would save his wicket in the last three balls. However, Kusal Perera managed to sky a ball of Dale Stein over mid wicket area where spectators were and thus brought the target required for victory ... down to 6 runs. In the next over the ball was handed over to Kagiso Rabada. 2 runs were collected in the first ball delivered and the next ball was hammered in the direction of third man region for four; thus clinching the target required. 

Though the Sri Lankan team played 8 Test matches in the tournament against England last October, it was only this match they won. The 78 runs recorded for the last wicket partnership which made them winners in the end  has now entered the record books for that achievement. With this win, the Sri Lanka team was successful in reaching a step forward in the tournament as 1 - 0.