3 Oct 2017

Test wins for Sri Lanka and South Africa

7:50 am on 3 October 2017

Rangana Herath became the second Sri Lankan to bag 400 wickets as his six-wicket haul steered Sri Lanka to a 21-run win over Pakistan in the first cricket test in Abu Dhabi.

The veteran left-arm spinner took 6 for 43 and 11 for 136 in the match - to scupper Pakistan.

Sri Lankan cricketer Rangana Herath.

Sri Lankan cricketer Rangana Herath. Photo: PHOTOSPORT

The hosts, set a modest 136-run target, were dismissed for 114 on the fifth day.

Sri Lanka lead the two match series 1-0.

Herath became the 14th bowler in all test cricket and fifth spinner behind his countryman Muttiah Muralitharan, Australia's Shane Warne and Indian duo of Anil Kumble and Harbhajan Singh to reach the 400-wicket milestone.

It was also a first defeat for Pakistan at the venue in 10 tests.

The second test - a day-night match - starts in Dubai from Friday.

Meanwhile Kagiso Rabada and Keshav Maharaj ran through the Bangladesh batting order to lead South Africa to an emphatic 333-run victory in the first cricket Test in Potchefstroom as the visitors capitulated meekly on the final morning.

Resuming on 49 for 3 and hoping to provide some stubborn resistance, Bangladesh were dismissed for just 90 with Rabada returning figures of 3 for 33 and Maharaj 4 for 25 as South Africa took the last seven wickets for 41 runs.

South Africa had scored 493 for 3 and 247 for 6, both declared, in their two innings, while Bangladesh responded with 320 in their first innings.

The second Test starts in Bloemfontein on Friday, where a livelier pitch is expected after the track in Potchefstroom proved flat throughout the five days.

-Reuters