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COLOMBO. — Left-arm spinners Rangana Herath and Milinda Siriwardana shared seven wickets as Sri Lanka thumped the West Indies by 72 runs in the second Test cricket yesterday to sweep the series 2-0. The tourists, who resumed on 20-1 chasing a victory target of 244, were shot out for 171 in the post-lunch session of the fifth day’s play at the P. Sara Oval in Colombo.

“We fell short. We didn’t bat well in the second innings,” West Indies skipper Jason Holder said. “Whenever we came under pressure from the Sri Lankan bowlers we succumbed. But there is a lot we can take away from the series. We are a young team and we have a lot to learn.” Sri Lanka captain Angelo Mathews said he never doubted his bowlers’ ability to clinch a victory.

“It was a hard-fought win,” Mathews said. “The pressure was on our bowlers because our batsmen did not deliver. I never had any doubts about my bowlers even when the West Indies were 80 for 1.

“Rangana (Herath) has enough experience and he showed his masterclass again.” Veteran Herath finished with four for 56 and Siriwardana took three for 25 to wreck the tourists, for whom Darren Bravo played a lone hand with 61. — AFP.