Chaminda Vaas played a starring role as Sri Lanka completed a 121-run victory over West Indies in the opening Test on Wednesday to win a Test in the Caribbean for the first time.
Vaas captured five wickets for 61 runs from 22.2 overs and Muttiah Muralitharan took three for 112 from 45 overs, as the West Indies, chasing a highly improbable 437 for victory, were dismissed for 315 in their second innings about 15 minutes before the scheduled close.
Fittingly, it was the combination of Vaas and Muralitharan that formalized the result with 5.4 overs remaining.
PHOTO: AP
Vaas delivered a rising ball to Daren Powell which he tried to scoop over mid-off and Muralitharan back-pedalled to hold a remarkable catch reaching backwards to hand Sri Lanka a 1-0 lead in the two-Test series.
The victory did not come easy for Sri Lanka as Dwayne Bravo, Ramnaresh Sarwan, and West Indies captain Chris Gayle all collected half-centuries to extend the home team's innings deep into the last day at the Guyana National Stadium.
The Sri Lankans reduced the West Indies to 278 for eight entering the final hour, after Thilan Thushara had Denesh Ramdin caught at slip for one, and Muralitharan had Sulieman Benn adjudged lbw for seven in the first hour after tea.
But Sri Lanka captain Mahela Jayawardene -- as usual -- put the fate of the visitors in the hands of Vaas and Muralitharan and they responded to the challenge.
But the victory had a tinge of controversy, as Sri Lanka benefitted from two questionable decisions in the final half-hour before tea to enhance their chances of victory.
Muralitharan was the beneficiary, when Ryan Hinds, again batting with the assistance of a runner because of a hamstring strain, was looking to bat through until the break.
The Sri Lankan-spinner bowled a delivery wide down the leg-side, which Hinds tried to swing away behind square but was adjudged caught behind by umpire Simon Taufel.
Television replays seemed to suggest that Hinds did not make any contact.
Sri Lanka also appeared to benefit, when umpire Billy Bowden adjudged West Indies vice captain Ramnaresh Sarwan lbw to Thilan Thushara for 72.
Television replays showed that the delivery appeared to be heading down the leg-side.
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