Sri Lanka's Prabath Jayasuriya breaks 71-year-old record and becomes fastest spinner to 50 Test wickets
Sri Lankan spinner Prabath Jayasuriya made history by becoming the fastest spinner to take 50 Test wickets in the second match of the two-match series against Ireland in Galle on Friday, April 28.
The 31-year-old also became the fastest Sri Lankan bowler with 50 Test wickets, leapfrogging legends like Muttiah Muralitharan, Chaminda Vaas, and Rangana Herath.
The milestone was achieved when Prabath picked up the wicket of Irish opener Paul Stirling in the 26th over of their second innings. He picked up his 50th wicket in just his seventh match to snatch the record from West Indian Alf Valentine as the fastest spinner and joint second overall in the history of Test cricket.
Prabath Jayasuriya picked up a five-wicket haul in the first innings, his sixth, to help the Lankan Lions bowl out Ireland for 492. In reply, Sri Lanka piled on a mammoth 704/3, their seventh score above 700 in Tests, before declaring with a lead of 212.
The slow left-arm spinner has had a magnificent start to his red-ball career, boasting a bowling average of 22.90, including a 12-wicket match haul against Australia on his Test debut in Galle.
His heroics led to Sri Lanka leveling the two-match series against the Aussies, earning him the Player of the Match award on his debut.
"I always try to give my hundred percent" - Prabath Jayasuriya after the first Test win against Ireland
Sri Lanka won the first Test against Ireland by a substantial margin of innings and 280 runs in Galle on April 16. Prabath Jayasuriya picked up 10 wickets in the match, including a seven-wicket haul in the first innings.
Speaking at the post-match presentation, Prabath said:
"I always try to give my hundred percent and I try to do my basic things, and also bowl wicket-to-wicket. This was a similar wicket to the matches we played against Pakistan and Australia. There is some drift because there is wind so I try to use that."
Sri Lankan skipper Dimuth Karunaratne showered praise on the young slow left-arm spinner and said:
"He knew what he had to do. He has patience and he knows where to hit the areas. I just give him the ball and he does the rest."
Prabath is only the third Sri Lankan bowler after Muttiah Muralitharan and Rangana Herath to bag a five-wicket haul in three consecutive innings.
The 31-year-old has 46 of his 50 Test wickets at home, having played six of his seven matches on home soil. The next step for Prabath would be to perform consistently with match-winning performances away from Sri Lanka.