New Zealand have a new spin nemesis in Sri Lanka after Rangana Herath dominated the first Test in Galle to prompt comparisons with the great Muttiah Muralitharan.
Innocuous-looking Herath ended with match figures of 11-108 as the hosts stormed to a 10-wicket win on the third day. That included 6-43 off 18 spellbinding overs in the Black Caps’ second innings of 118.
The 34-year-old has emerged from the considerable shadow cast by retired former teammate Muralitharan, Test cricket’s most prolific wicket-taker and a regular destroyer of New Zealand batting line-ups.
In a stark warning ahead of the second Test in Colombo, Sri Lankan captain Mahela Jayawardene said it was clear the Black Caps were struggling against the guile of Herath.
The spinner has moved clear of English pair Graeme Swann and Stuart Broad as the world’s leading Test wicket-taker in 2012.
“Rangana knows what he is doing with the ball and he knows what the batsman is doing as well,” Jayawardene said.
“After Murali, from what I’ve seen in Sri Lankan cricket, he is the next best thing. Others have chipped in but Rangana has become the leading bowler for us.
“Because of the pressure he is creating on the opposition and the way he’s performed, it has enabled us to be consistent in Test cricket in the last two years or so.”
Spinners claimed 34 wickets between them when India routed New Zealand 2-0 in their recent Test series.
Black Caps’ skipper Ross Taylor says new plans are needed to counter Herath.
“We know that it’s probably going to turn a little bit more up in Colombo,” he said.
“I thought Herath bowled really well and put us under pressure the whole time – both in the first and second innings.
“He is very consistent in this part of the world and we have got to come up with a way of negating his wicket-taking ability.”