NAGPUR, India: Indian spinner Ravichandran Ashwin surpassed Dennis Lillee to become the fastest bowler to capture 300 test wickets when he helped India thrash Sri Lanka by an innings and 239 runs to win the second test in Nagpur on Monday.
Ashwin took 4-63 in Sri Lanka’s second innings after also bagging four wickets in the first innings to take his career tally to exactly 300.
Ashwin reached the 300-wicket milestone in his 54th test appearance, two matches less than the previous record holder, former Australian paceman Lillee.
Ravindra Jadeja (2-28), Umesh Yadav (2-30) and Ishant Sharma (2-43) all captured two wickets each as Sri Lanka collapsed to 166 all out in their second innings just after lunch on the fourth day at the Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium.
Trailing by 405 runs in the first innings, Sri Lanka’s final margin of defeat represented their biggest ever loss in a test match, and equaled India’s biggest ever victory.
After resuming on 21-1, the visitors lost seven wickets in the extended morning session then their last two after the resumption.
The Sri Lankan captain Dinesh Chandimal top scored with a defiant 61 — his second half-century of the match — and tailender Suranga Lakmal chipped in with an unbeaten 31 but few others offered any sustained resistance.
Dimuth Karunaratne and Lahiru Thirimanne added 13 to the overnight total before Karunaratne departed for 18, caught by Murali Vijay at forward short leg off Jadeja.
Thirimanne followed soon after for 23, caught at backward point off Yadav, then Angelo Mathews went for 10, holing out at mid-off off Jadeja as the wickets began to tumble rapidly.
Niroshan Dickwella was caught in the slips off Sharma for four then Dasun Shanka fell to Ashwin for 17.
Ashwin struck twice more after the umpires agreed to extend the session in the possibility of getting a result. He trapped Dilruwan Perera leg before wicket for a golden duck then had Rangana Herath caught at slip without scoring.
Chandimal’s resistance finally gave way after lunch when he fell to Yadav then Ashwin bowled Lahiru Garnaga for a duck to claim his 300th test victim and end the match.
The first test between the teams in Kolkata ended in a draw.
India struggled in the opening test but seized control of the second game after making an imposing total of 610-6 declared, with Virat Kohli (213) scoring his fifth test double hundred and three other batsmen, Vijay (128), Cheteshwar Pujara (143) and Rohit Sharma (102 not out) all scoring hundreds.
Ashwin takes 300th wicket as India thrash Sri Lanka
Ashwin takes 300th wicket as India thrash Sri Lanka
Reed surges four shots ahead at Dubai Desert Classic
- Spaniard David Puig climbed into second following a birdie-birdie finish after a 66 left him at 10 under
DUBAI: Patrick Reed stormed into a four-shot lead heading into the final round of the Hero Dubai Desert Classic, thanks to a brilliant 67 on Moving Day.
The American held a narrow overnight advantage at nine under but was quickly challenged by Francesco Molinari on the front nine. Molinari, who led after 18 holes, opened with three straight birdies to reach double figures before Reed hit back with three birdies and two bogeys in his first seven holes to join him at ten under.
Reed, the 2018 Masters champion, then finished his front nine with a birdie to edge ahead and did not look back, picking up three further shots to climb to 14 under at Emirates Golf Club as he pursues a maiden Rolex Series victory.
“I think the biggest thing right now is the driving. I feel like I’m driving the ball a little better right now,” said Reed. “Once I saw putts go in this week, seems like the putter is back behaving doing what it’s supposed to, and allows me to free up the rest of my golf game.
“You’re always excited, showing up on Sunday with a lead. I feel like that’s what all of us live for as players, competitors, to have a chance to win on Sundays. I know it’s not going to be easy, it never is, and doesn’t matter how big of a lead you have.”
Spaniard David Puig surged into solo second following a birdie-birdie finish in a stunning 66 to reach ten under, with 2022 champion Viktor Hovland one shot further back alongside Englishman Andy Sullivan, who bounced back from bogeys at the eighth and ninth with three birdies on the back nine.
“It was a great day from start to finish,” said Puig. “We were a little behind, and seeing Patrick Reed and all the guys that are up there are really good players, so I knew I needed a good one. Still a little behind but it’s going really well. Hopefully tomorrow we have a good chance.”
Hovland, who carded a bogey-free 65, said: “It was very nice and steady today. Hit a lot of fairways. I know I played a wonderful round of golf today. Certainly no complaints about a bogey-free 65 out here. This place is no joke. If I get off the tee and in a decent position, I can really do some damage.”
Italian pair Molinari and Andrea Pavan were in a share of fifth at eight under, while Denmark’s Thorbjorn Olesen and Spaniard Jorge Campillo sat at seven under.
Nicolai Hojgaard led the group at six under alongside South African trio Jayden Schaper, Hennie du Plessis and amateur Christiaan Maas, as well as French pair Julien Guerrier and Martin Couvra.
