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James Anderson became the most successful fast bowler in Test history when he sealed England’s 118-run win over India at the Oval on Tuesday.

With just one wicket to fall, and Anderson needing one more to break the record of 563 he had shared with retired Australia great Glenn McGrath, the 36-year-old Lancashire paceman bowled Mohammed Shami to give England victory in the fifth Test and a 4-1 series win.

India, set a mammoth 464 to win, collapsed to two for three on Monday, with Anderson striking twice.

But a sixth-wicket partnership of 204 between KL Rahul (149) and Rishabh Pant (114) on Tuesday gave them hope of an unlikely victory.

Leg-spinner Adil Rashid, however, removed both century-makers in a burst of two wickets for three runs in two overs after tea to leave India struggling at 328 for seven.
England´s Alastair Cook (L) and England´s James Anderson pose for photographers after winning the fifth Test cricket match and the series 4-1 against India at The Oval in London on September 11, 2018. Photo: AFP

The scale of India’s task could be seen from the fact that no side have made more in the fourth innings to win a Test than the West Indies’ 418 for seven against Australia at St John’s, Antigua in 2002/03.

India resumed Tuesday on 58 for three. Rahul was 46 not out and Ajinkya Rahane unbeaten on 10.

All eyes were on Anderson as he bowled Tuesday’s first over, with the overcast conditions seemingly in his favour.
Rahul, Pant turn on the style

Rahul though clipped his sixth delivery of the day legside for four to complete a fifty — the first by an India opening batsman this series.

But a stand of 118 ended when Rahane (37) miscued a sweep off Moeen Ali to Keaton Jennings at midwicket.

India’s 120 for four was soon transformed into 121 for five when Ben Stokes had Test debutant Hanuma Vihari, who made 56 in India’s first innings, caught behind for a duck.
England´s James Anderson (C) celebrates with England´s Alastair Cook after taking the wicket of India´s Mohammed Shami on the final day of the fifth Test cricket match between England and India at The Oval in London on September 11, 2018. Photo: AFP

But Rahul slapped Stokes over extra-cover for six to go into the 90s in extraordinary fashion before his top-edged pull for four off the all-rounder took him to 97.

The 26-year-old Rahul then pulled the paceman through mid-off, another remarkable boundary, to complete his fifth hundred in 29 Tests off 118 balls including 16 fours and a six.

At lunch he was 108 not out in a total of 167 for five.

Left-hander Pant, who had hit off-spinner Ali for a one-handed six before lunch, gave Rahul superb support on an increasingly flat pitch as runs flowed freely.

Anderson came back on for a second spell but could not break through, with England captain Joe Root’s occasional off-spin also failing to yield a wicket.

Wicket-keeper Pant, who hoisted Rashid for six to go into the 90s, went to his maiden Test hundred in just his third match at this level when he repeated the shot off the Yorkshireman, the ball soaring high over long-on.
England´s Alastair Cook waves as he leaves the field after playing in his final test match during the fifth Test cricket match between England and India at The Oval in London on September 11, 2018. Photo: AFP

The 20-year-old had then faced a mere 117 balls, including 14 fours and three sixes.

At tea, India were 298 for five, needing 166 more runs to win.

But Rashid, a peripheral figure for much of the series, then took centre stage.

He turned one sharply out of the rough outside Rahul’s leg-stump to clip the top of the right-hander’s off-stump.

And his next over saw Pant, going for another big hit, hole out to Ali at long-off.

Anderson was denied the wicket he craved when diving wicket-keeper Jonny Bairstow dropped a low left-handed chance to reprieve Ravindra Jadeja.

But Sam Curran struck twice with the new ball when the left-arm paceman had both Ishant Sharma and Jadeja caught behind to leave India on the brink of defeat at 345 for nine.

Anderson then gave England the finish they wanted, bowling Shami middle stump.

England started Tuesday in a commanding position after Alastair Cook, their all-time leading run-scorer, had marked his last Test before international retirement with 147 in a total of 423 for eight declared on Monday that also included Root’s 125.

COLOMBO: Spinner Lakshan Sandakan starred in Sri Lanka´s hard fought three-wicket win over South Africa in the only Twenty20 international after bowling out the visitors for their lowest total in the game´s shortest format.

Electing to bat in the only T20 match of the tour, South Africa were bowled out for 98, a total the hosts surpassed with four overs to spare.

The Proteas, who lost the two-Test series 2-0 and then came back to clinch the one-day internationals 3-2, were two runs less than their previous low score of 100 against Pakistan in 2013.

Dinesh Chandimal, who returned from his ban for breaching the spirit of the game, remained unbeaten on 36 to guide the team home in a tricky chase.

Chandimal´s 53-run third-wicket partnership with Dhananjaya de Silva, who made 31, was key in Sri Lanka reaching their target in 16 overs.

“I realised it was not a T20 wicket and just rotated strike. I just played like Test cricket,” Chandimal said after the win.

“It´s really good to come back after (the) ODI series. The boys showed a lot of character and attitude and finished it on a winning note. It´s good for the Asia Cup (upcoming 50-over tournament in September),” Chandimal said of his side.

South Africa´s Andile Phehlukwayo is bowled out by Sri Lanka´s Lakshan Sandakan. Photo: Reuters
But it was Sandakan´s bowling figures of 3-19 with his left-arm wrist spin that set up the win. He was ably supported by fellow spinners de Silva and Akila Dananjaya who took two wickets each.

Wicketkeeper-batsman Quinton de Kock top-scored with 20 before being run out but the rest of the South African batting fell flat in 16.4 overs.

Sri Lankan batsmen also made heavy weather of their 99-run target as the South African bowlers led by paceman Kagiso Rabada made the hosts work hard for their win.

Rabada, fellow paceman Junior Dala and spinner Tabraiz Shamsi took two wickets each.

From a comfortable 59-2 the hosts slipped to 88-7, but Chandimal kept his calm during his 33-ball stay that was laced with 3 fours and 1 six.

Chandimal, 28, was banned for two Tests and four ODIs after refusing to take the field against West Indies following ball-tampering allegations in June.

“We will take a lot of positives from this tour… I think coming here and after losing 2-0 in Test matches, we had to change our mindset and fortunate enough we put our best foot forward in the ODIs,” South Africa´s T20 skipper Jean-Paul Duminy said.

“We have a few weeks off to rethink and get better. End of September, we have a series against Zimbabwe, hopefully we do well there,” Duminy added.

Sri Lanka now host England for a full series in October-November while South Africa travel to Australia for three ODI matches and one T20 during the same period.