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Jayasuriya spins Sri Lanka to victory over NZ in 1st test

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Jayasuriya spins Sri Lanka to victory over NZ in 1st test
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Jayasuriya spins Sri Lanka to victory over NZ in 1st test

2024-09-23 14:39 Last Updated At:14:50

GALLE, Sri Lanka (AP) — Left-arm spinner Prabath Jayasuriya delivered a stellar five-wicket haul in the second innings and nine wickets overall, to lead Sri Lanka to a 63-run victory over New Zealand in the first Test.

New Zealand resumed play on the final day needing 68 more runs to reach a victory target of 275 but only added four runs before Sri Lanka wrapped up the game in 3.4 overs on Monday.

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New Zealand's Ajaz Patel, holding his bat, walks in front of Sri Lanka's players as they leave the field after Sri Lanka won the first cricket test match against New Zealand in Galle, Sri Lanka, Monday, Sept. 23, 2024. (AP Photo/Viraj Kothalawala)

GALLE, Sri Lanka (AP) — Left-arm spinner Prabath Jayasuriya delivered a stellar five-wicket haul in the second innings and nine wickets overall, to lead Sri Lanka to a 63-run victory over New Zealand in the first Test.

New Zealand's Rachin Ravindra reacts as he leaves the field after losing his wicket to Sri Lanka's Prabath Jayasuriya on the fifth and final day of the first cricket test match between New Zealand and Sri Lanka in Galle, Sri Lanka, Monday, Sept. 23, 2024. (AP Photo/Viraj Kothalawala)

New Zealand's Rachin Ravindra reacts as he leaves the field after losing his wicket to Sri Lanka's Prabath Jayasuriya on the fifth and final day of the first cricket test match between New Zealand and Sri Lanka in Galle, Sri Lanka, Monday, Sept. 23, 2024. (AP Photo/Viraj Kothalawala)

Sri Lanka's players form a huddle before the start of the game on the fifth and final day of the first cricket test match between New Zealand and Sri Lanka in Galle, Sri Lanka, Monday, Sept. 23, 2024. (AP Photo/Viraj Kothalawala)

Sri Lanka's players form a huddle before the start of the game on the fifth and final day of the first cricket test match between New Zealand and Sri Lanka in Galle, Sri Lanka, Monday, Sept. 23, 2024. (AP Photo/Viraj Kothalawala)

Sri Lanka's Prabath Jayasuriya celebrates the wicket of New Zealand's Rachin Ravindra on the fifth and final day of the first cricket test match between New Zealand and Sri Lanka in Galle, Sri Lanka, Monday, Sept. 23, 2024. (AP Photo/Viraj Kothalawala)

Sri Lanka's Prabath Jayasuriya celebrates the wicket of New Zealand's Rachin Ravindra on the fifth and final day of the first cricket test match between New Zealand and Sri Lanka in Galle, Sri Lanka, Monday, Sept. 23, 2024. (AP Photo/Viraj Kothalawala)

New Zealand's Rachin Ravindra reacts as he leaves the field after losing his wicket to Sri Lanka's Prabath Jayasuriya on the fifth and final day of the first cricket test match between New Zealand and Sri Lanka in Galle, Sri Lanka, Monday, Sept. 23, 2024. (AP Photo/Viraj Kothalawala)

New Zealand's Rachin Ravindra reacts as he leaves the field after losing his wicket to Sri Lanka's Prabath Jayasuriya on the fifth and final day of the first cricket test match between New Zealand and Sri Lanka in Galle, Sri Lanka, Monday, Sept. 23, 2024. (AP Photo/Viraj Kothalawala)

Sri Lanka's Prabath Jayasuriya displays the ball to celebrate his five-wicket haul in the second innings after Sri Lanka won the first cricket test match against New Zealand in Galle, Sri Lanka, Monday, Sept. 23, 2024. (AP Photo/Viraj Kothalawala)

Sri Lanka's Prabath Jayasuriya displays the ball to celebrate his five-wicket haul in the second innings after Sri Lanka won the first cricket test match against New Zealand in Galle, Sri Lanka, Monday, Sept. 23, 2024. (AP Photo/Viraj Kothalawala)

Sri Lanka's Prabath Jayasuriya celebrates the wicket of New Zealand's William O'Rourke, his fifth in the second innings, after Sri Lanka won the first cricket test match against New Zealand in Galle, Sri Lanka, Monday, Sept. 23, 2024. (AP Photo/Viraj Kothalawala)

Sri Lanka's Prabath Jayasuriya celebrates the wicket of New Zealand's William O'Rourke, his fifth in the second innings, after Sri Lanka won the first cricket test match against New Zealand in Galle, Sri Lanka, Monday, Sept. 23, 2024. (AP Photo/Viraj Kothalawala)

New Zealand's William O'Rourke, right, is bowled out by Sri Lanka's Prabath Jayasuriya resulting in Sri Lanka's win in the first cricket test match against New Zealand in Galle, Sri Lanka, Monday, Sept. 23, 2024. (AP Photo/Viraj Kothalawala)

New Zealand's William O'Rourke, right, is bowled out by Sri Lanka's Prabath Jayasuriya resulting in Sri Lanka's win in the first cricket test match against New Zealand in Galle, Sri Lanka, Monday, Sept. 23, 2024. (AP Photo/Viraj Kothalawala)

Sri Lanka's Prabath Jayasuriya, right, celebrates the wicket of New Zealand's Rachin Ravindra on the fifth and final day of the first cricket test match between New Zealand and Sri Lanka in Galle, Sri Lanka, Monday, Sept. 23, 2024. (AP Photo/Viraj Kothalawala)

Sri Lanka's Prabath Jayasuriya, right, celebrates the wicket of New Zealand's Rachin Ravindra on the fifth and final day of the first cricket test match between New Zealand and Sri Lanka in Galle, Sri Lanka, Monday, Sept. 23, 2024. (AP Photo/Viraj Kothalawala)

Overnight batsman Rachin Ravindra, who had kept New Zealand’s hopes alive with a valiant 91 on Sunday, could only add one run to his total before being trapped leg before wicket by Jayasuriya. The promising left-hander’s resistance ended as he misjudged a delivery trying to defend on the back foot.

In Jayasuriya’s next over, he bowled last man William O’Rourke for a duck, sealing Sri Lanka’s victory in a tightly contested match and the 32-year-old spinner's eighth five-wicket haul in tests.

“I love playing here in Galle,” said man of the match Jayasuriya, who now has 88 wickets in 15 matches for Sri Lanka . “There is so much assistance for spin on this wicket, all what you need is to do is to just keep pitching the ball in the right areas and the wicket will do the rest.”

“If you keep doing that wickets will come.”

Although Ravindra narrowly missed out on a well-deserved century, his score of 92 is now the highest by a New Zealand batter in Galle, surpassing Ross Taylor’s 86. Notably, no Black Cap has scored a century in Galle, where they have now lost all five matches played.

Sri Lanka’s win moved them up to third place in the World Test Championship standings, behind India and Australia. Meanwhile, New Zealand dropped to fourth after starting the series in third position.

Playing their first test since March, several Black Cap players put in strong performances, especially pacer O'Rourke who took eight wickets in his first test in Asia and just his third match overall.

“He has really impressed in his brief career, New Zealand captain Tim Southee said of O'Rourke. “The great thing is to come to a place like Galle and put up that performance. He has never played in conditions like these before and he is a good prospect for us moving forward.”

On the back of O'Rourke's 5-55 the Kiwis managed to secure a first-innings lead, a significant thing on a Galle pitch that becomes increasingly difficult to bat on as the game progresses.

But New Zealand’s failure to break the crucial 147-run third-wicket partnership between Dinesh Chandimal and Dimuth Karunaratne in Sri Lanka’s second innings proved decisive.

Both experienced batters scored half-centuries, with Angelo Mathews also contributing a vital 50, helping Sri Lanka set a challenging target of 275. On a deteriorating pitch, that total proved too much for the visitors.

The teams will remain in Galle for the second test, which begins on Thursday.

Sri Lanka will be hoping to win its first test series against New Zealand since 2009. Since then, the sides have met in six series with New Zealand winning four and two ending in draws.

AP cricket: https://apnews.com/hub/cricket

New Zealand's Ajaz Patel, holding his bat, walks in front of Sri Lanka's players as they leave the field after Sri Lanka won the first cricket test match against New Zealand in Galle, Sri Lanka, Monday, Sept. 23, 2024. (AP Photo/Viraj Kothalawala)

New Zealand's Ajaz Patel, holding his bat, walks in front of Sri Lanka's players as they leave the field after Sri Lanka won the first cricket test match against New Zealand in Galle, Sri Lanka, Monday, Sept. 23, 2024. (AP Photo/Viraj Kothalawala)

New Zealand's Rachin Ravindra reacts as he leaves the field after losing his wicket to Sri Lanka's Prabath Jayasuriya on the fifth and final day of the first cricket test match between New Zealand and Sri Lanka in Galle, Sri Lanka, Monday, Sept. 23, 2024. (AP Photo/Viraj Kothalawala)

New Zealand's Rachin Ravindra reacts as he leaves the field after losing his wicket to Sri Lanka's Prabath Jayasuriya on the fifth and final day of the first cricket test match between New Zealand and Sri Lanka in Galle, Sri Lanka, Monday, Sept. 23, 2024. (AP Photo/Viraj Kothalawala)

Sri Lanka's players form a huddle before the start of the game on the fifth and final day of the first cricket test match between New Zealand and Sri Lanka in Galle, Sri Lanka, Monday, Sept. 23, 2024. (AP Photo/Viraj Kothalawala)

Sri Lanka's players form a huddle before the start of the game on the fifth and final day of the first cricket test match between New Zealand and Sri Lanka in Galle, Sri Lanka, Monday, Sept. 23, 2024. (AP Photo/Viraj Kothalawala)

Sri Lanka's Prabath Jayasuriya celebrates the wicket of New Zealand's Rachin Ravindra on the fifth and final day of the first cricket test match between New Zealand and Sri Lanka in Galle, Sri Lanka, Monday, Sept. 23, 2024. (AP Photo/Viraj Kothalawala)

Sri Lanka's Prabath Jayasuriya celebrates the wicket of New Zealand's Rachin Ravindra on the fifth and final day of the first cricket test match between New Zealand and Sri Lanka in Galle, Sri Lanka, Monday, Sept. 23, 2024. (AP Photo/Viraj Kothalawala)

New Zealand's Rachin Ravindra reacts as he leaves the field after losing his wicket to Sri Lanka's Prabath Jayasuriya on the fifth and final day of the first cricket test match between New Zealand and Sri Lanka in Galle, Sri Lanka, Monday, Sept. 23, 2024. (AP Photo/Viraj Kothalawala)

New Zealand's Rachin Ravindra reacts as he leaves the field after losing his wicket to Sri Lanka's Prabath Jayasuriya on the fifth and final day of the first cricket test match between New Zealand and Sri Lanka in Galle, Sri Lanka, Monday, Sept. 23, 2024. (AP Photo/Viraj Kothalawala)

Sri Lanka's Prabath Jayasuriya displays the ball to celebrate his five-wicket haul in the second innings after Sri Lanka won the first cricket test match against New Zealand in Galle, Sri Lanka, Monday, Sept. 23, 2024. (AP Photo/Viraj Kothalawala)

Sri Lanka's Prabath Jayasuriya displays the ball to celebrate his five-wicket haul in the second innings after Sri Lanka won the first cricket test match against New Zealand in Galle, Sri Lanka, Monday, Sept. 23, 2024. (AP Photo/Viraj Kothalawala)

Sri Lanka's Prabath Jayasuriya celebrates the wicket of New Zealand's William O'Rourke, his fifth in the second innings, after Sri Lanka won the first cricket test match against New Zealand in Galle, Sri Lanka, Monday, Sept. 23, 2024. (AP Photo/Viraj Kothalawala)

Sri Lanka's Prabath Jayasuriya celebrates the wicket of New Zealand's William O'Rourke, his fifth in the second innings, after Sri Lanka won the first cricket test match against New Zealand in Galle, Sri Lanka, Monday, Sept. 23, 2024. (AP Photo/Viraj Kothalawala)

New Zealand's William O'Rourke, right, is bowled out by Sri Lanka's Prabath Jayasuriya resulting in Sri Lanka's win in the first cricket test match against New Zealand in Galle, Sri Lanka, Monday, Sept. 23, 2024. (AP Photo/Viraj Kothalawala)

New Zealand's William O'Rourke, right, is bowled out by Sri Lanka's Prabath Jayasuriya resulting in Sri Lanka's win in the first cricket test match against New Zealand in Galle, Sri Lanka, Monday, Sept. 23, 2024. (AP Photo/Viraj Kothalawala)

Sri Lanka's Prabath Jayasuriya, right, celebrates the wicket of New Zealand's Rachin Ravindra on the fifth and final day of the first cricket test match between New Zealand and Sri Lanka in Galle, Sri Lanka, Monday, Sept. 23, 2024. (AP Photo/Viraj Kothalawala)

Sri Lanka's Prabath Jayasuriya, right, celebrates the wicket of New Zealand's Rachin Ravindra on the fifth and final day of the first cricket test match between New Zealand and Sri Lanka in Galle, Sri Lanka, Monday, Sept. 23, 2024. (AP Photo/Viraj Kothalawala)

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Marxist Anura Kumara Dissanayake sworn in as Sri Lanka's president

2024-09-23 14:27 Last Updated At:14:30

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP) — Marxist leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake was sworn in as Sri Lanka's president on Monday after an election that saw voters reject an old guard accused of leading the country into economic crisis.

Dissanayake, 55, who ran as head of the Marxist-leaning National People's Power coalition, defeated opposition leader Sajith Premadasa and 36 other candidates in Saturday's election.

Dissanayake received 5,740,179 votes, followed by Premadasa with 4,530,902.

In a brief speech, the new president pledged to work with others to take on the country's challenges.

“We have deeply understood that we are going to get a challenging country," Dissanayake said. “We don’t believe that a government, a single party or an individual would be able to resolve this deep crisis.”

Just before the swearing in, Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena resigned, clearing the way for the new president to appoint a prime minister and a cabinet.

The election came as the country seeks to recover from its worst economic crisis and resulting political upheaval.

He's the ninth person to hold Sri Lanka's powerful executive presidency, created in 1978 when a new constitution expanded the office's powers.

Dissanayake's coalition is led by the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna, or People’s Liberation Front, a Marxist party that waged two unsuccessful armed insurrections in the 1970s and 1980s to capture power through socialist revolution. After its defeat, the JVP entered democratic politics in 1994 and has been mostly in opposition since then. However, they have supported several previous presidents and been part of governments briefly.

The NPP also includes groups representing academics, civil society movements, artists, lawyers and students.

Dissanayake was first elected to Parliament in 2000 and briefly held the portfolio of agriculture and irrigation minister under then-President Chandrika Kumaratunga. He ran for president for the first time in 2019 and lost to Gotabaya Rajapaksa.

Dissanayake's first major challenge will be to act on his campaign promise to ease the crushing austerity measures imposed by his predecessor Ranil Wickremesinghe under a relief agreement with the International Monetary Fund.

Wickremesinghe has warned that any move to alter the basics of the agreement could delay the release of a fourth tranche of nearly $3 billion.

That economic crisis resulted from excessive borrowing to fund projects that did not generate revenue, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the government’s insistence on using scarce foreign reserves to prop up its currency, the rupee.

It led to shortages of essentials such as foods, medicines, cooking gas and fuel in 2022, triggering massive protests that forced then-president Rajapaksa to flee the country and resign.

Wickremesinghe, then prime minister, was elected by Parliament to fill the remainder of Rajapaksa's term.

Supporters of Marxist lawmaker Anura Kumara Dissanayake cheer outside the president's office as he arrives to be sworn in as Sri Lanka’s tenth president in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Monday, Sept. 23, 2024. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)

Supporters of Marxist lawmaker Anura Kumara Dissanayake cheer outside the president's office as he arrives to be sworn in as Sri Lanka’s tenth president in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Monday, Sept. 23, 2024. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)

A supporter waves Sri Lankan flag as he waits for the swearing in ceremony of president elect Marxist lawmaker Anura Kumara Dissanayake out side president's office in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Monday, Sept. 23, 2024. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)

A supporter waves Sri Lankan flag as he waits for the swearing in ceremony of president elect Marxist lawmaker Anura Kumara Dissanayake out side president's office in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Monday, Sept. 23, 2024. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)

Newspapers with headlines about Sri Lanka's new president elect Marxist lawmaker Anura Kumara Dissanayake are on display in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Monday, Sept. 23, 2024. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)

Newspapers with headlines about Sri Lanka's new president elect Marxist lawmaker Anura Kumara Dissanayake are on display in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Monday, Sept. 23, 2024. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)

A supporter tucks a portrait of president elect Marxist lawmaker Anura Kumara Dissanayake on to his trousers as he waits for the swearing in ceremony outside president's office in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Monday, Sept. 23, 2024. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)

A supporter tucks a portrait of president elect Marxist lawmaker Anura Kumara Dissanayake on to his trousers as he waits for the swearing in ceremony outside president's office in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Monday, Sept. 23, 2024. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)

Newspapers with headlines about the new president elect Marxist lawmaker Anura Kumara Dissanayake are on display in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Monday, Sept. 23, 2024. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)

Newspapers with headlines about the new president elect Marxist lawmaker Anura Kumara Dissanayake are on display in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Monday, Sept. 23, 2024. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)

Supporters of Marxist lawmaker Anura Kumara Dissanayake cheer outside the president's office as he arrives to be sworn in as Sri Lanka’s tenth president in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Monday, Sept. 23, 2024. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)

Supporters of Marxist lawmaker Anura Kumara Dissanayake cheer outside the president's office as he arrives to be sworn in as Sri Lanka’s tenth president in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Monday, Sept. 23, 2024. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)

Marxist lawmaker Anura Kumara Dissanayake waves as he departs the election commission office after winning the presidential election in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Sunday, Sept. 22, 2024. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)

Marxist lawmaker Anura Kumara Dissanayake waves as he departs the election commission office after winning the presidential election in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Sunday, Sept. 22, 2024. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)

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