Herath 13-wicket haul as Sri Lanka sweep Zimbabwe series

Rangana Herath finished with 13 wickets as Sri Lanka completed a convincing 257-run victory over Zimbabwe in the second Test to sweep the series 2-0 at Harare Sports Club on Thursday.

The tourists went into the final day needing just three wickets to wrap up the match, and Herath required less than an hour to claim them as he finished with 8 for 63 in the second innings, bowling Zimbabwe out for 233.

Sri Lanka's captain finished with figures of 13 for 152 in the match, after his team also won the first Test on November 2 by 225 runs.

Zimbabwe's only real hope of pushing Sri Lanka on day five rested with Craig Ervine, who began the final day on 65 not out as Zimbabwe resumed on 180 for seven in pursuit of 491 for victory.

But the left-hander was the first batsman to fall on the fifth morning as he was well caught by Dhananjaya de Silva at slip off the bowling of Herath to depart for 72.

Carl Mumba was next to go, trapped lbw by the left-arm spinner, and although last man Chris Mpofu provided some entertainment as he lofted two huge sixes, he fell to Herath in the same fashion to bring the game to a close.

The two teams will play each other in a one-day international on Monday, when a triangular series also involving the West Indies gets underway at the same venue.

Source: AFP