April 28 marked an extraordinary achievement in Test cricket as Prabhat Jayasuriya, Sri Lanka’s slow left-arm bowler, became the fastest spinner to 50 wickets. The moment came on the final day of the second Test against Ireland at the Galle International Cricket Stadium, and helped Sri Lanka to a remarkable innings-and-10-run victory after Ireland had scored 492 in the first innings.
Jayasuriya dismissed Paul Stirling to claim his seventh wicket of the match, reaching the 50-wicket mark in a mere seven Tests. Despite only making his debut at the age of 30, in the second Test against Australia last July, Jayasuriya needed just 13 innings to get to the milestone.
Australia’s Charlie Turner, who played all his Tests in the 19th century, remains out in front, having taken just 10 innings to get to 50 wickets. The West Indies’ Alf Valentine, whose feats at Lord’s in 1950 inspired a Calypso, previously held the record among spinners, having got to a half-century of wicket in just eight Tests.
England’s Tom Richardson (in 1896) and South Africa’s Vernon Philander (2012) also needed only seven Tests to take 50 wickets. Jayasuriya, who had taken 5-174 in the first innings, was also named Man of the Match after Sri Lanka stormed back to win a high-scoring game and take the series 2-0.