Galle: Sri Lanka cricket team on Thursday defeated England by 75 runs in first Test here at the Galle International Stadium.
Sri Lankan left-arm spinner Rangana Herath claimed a match haul of 12 wickets. The 34-year-old grabbed six wickets in each innings as the tourists, chasing a stiff target of 340 runs, were bowled out for 264 soon after tea on the fourth day.
Jonathan Trott kept the tourists afloat with a defiant 112 before the last five wickets fell for just 12 runs in front of 8,000 bitterly disappointed English fans in the southern coastal town.
It was only the second win in 18 Tests for Sri Lanka since the retirement of world bowling record holder Muttiah Muralitharan in 2010. They lost six while the rest were drawn.
Trott, who notched his seventh Test century, hit 10 boundaries in his patient 266-ball knock.
England will slip to number two behind South Africa if they lose the series.
The second and final Test will be played at the P Sara Oval in Colombo from April 3.
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