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  March 5, 2018 7:43 PM PST

  Rangana Herath, who led Sri Lanka to a 2-0 sweep of Zimbabwe in his first series as captain, has said that the teams recent run in Test cricket bodes well for the South Africa tour, which starts with the Boxing Day Test in Port Elizabeth. Damien Wilson Stitched Jersey . Sri Lankas 257-run victory in Harare in the second Test was their fifth successive win - they swept Australia 3-0 at home prior to this series - to equal their second-longest winning streak in Tests.If you take the Australian series, the 3-0 win gave us a lot of confidence for the Zimbabwe tour, Herath said on Saturday. Now that we have beaten Zimbabwe and won five Tests in a row, I am sure that confidence will help us for the South African tour. I am 100 percent certain about the confidence of our players that they will do well in South Africa.Herath himself led the way in Zimbabwe, taking 19 wickets in two matches at an average of just over 15. During his 8 for 63 in the second Test in Harare, Herath became only the third bowler, after Muttiah Muralitharan and Dale Steyn, to complete a five-for against all nine other Test nations.I would say it was a kind of a high achievement, Herath said. I didnt know that I was the third player to achieve that feat, but I am really happy with that performance because I havent had a five-wicket haul against Zimbabwe, and it was the first time I played against them. I am really happy to join that club with Murali and Steyn.Herath, who stood in as captain in the absence of Angelo Mathews and Dinesh Chandimal, said he relished the experience. I enjoyed every single moment of it and I did really enjoy the captaincy. I had played under a lot of captains like Sanath (Jayasuriya), Mahela (Jayawardene), Sanga (Kumar Sangakkara), (Tillakaratne) Dilshan, Hashan (Tillakeratne) and Angelo (Mathews), and gained experience from them. That experience helped me a lot coupled with the little bit I had captaining Moors SC to the Premier league title.Herath acknowledged the contributions of several players, including the returning Upul Tharanga, for making his job easier. Opener Dimuth Karunaratne hit form with 280 runs in four innings, including a century and two fifties. Tharanga held the middle order together and brought up his second Test hundred last week, nearly 11 years after his first. Fringe players like batsman Dhananjaya de Silva and seam-bowling allrounder Asela Gunaratne also impressed. It was easier to captain when every single player was performing and contributing a lot to the team, Herath said. I must thank the players and the supporting staff for our success in the series.If you take individually, Kusal Perera, Kaushal Silva, Dhanajaya (de Silva), Asela Gunaratne, Dimuth Karunaratne performed; every single player contributed in every single game. Players like Upul Tharanga, who came to Test cricket after a long time, and Asela, who played his first at the age of 30, I saw some difference in him he played a matured innings in both Tests.On the bowling front, Herath lauded seamer Suranga Lakmal, who found swing with the new ball and reverse-swing with the old one on docile surfaces, and offspinner Dilruwan Perera who complemented him.Of the bowlers, most credit should go to Suranga Lakmal because on those flat tracks, its not easy to bowl, but he bowled his heart out, he said. Even Lahiru Gamage, he gave the kind of confidence to the team and he looks a good prospect for Sri Lanka. Dilruwan (Perera) and myself, every single player contributed in some way, thats why we won the two Tests.Herath, 38, said he has not set any long-term plans, and instead looked to take it series by series. I have gained a lot of confidence in the last two series I played, taking 28 wickets against Australia and 19 against Zimbabwe, he said. I am always planning to take it series by series and try to do my best each time. Its a much easier target than planning for six to twelve months. As long as I am contributing 100 percent, its easier to continue playing for the team. James Hanna Stitched Jersey .ca NHL Power Rankings for the second straight week, ahead of the Pittsburgh Penguins and Colorado Avalanche. Darren Woodson Stitched Jersey .05 million next season unless Graham and the Saints subsequently agree on a long-term deal. The designation was released Monday after the deadline passed for NFL teams to use franchise or transition tags on players becoming free agents. http://www.officialcowboysnflauthenticshop.com/rico-gathers-stitched-jersey/ . -- Catcher Brett Hayes has agreed to a $630,000, one-year contract with the Kansas City Royals, avoiding salary arbitration. COLUMBIA, S.C. -- South Carolina-UMass may not be the game for you, not if youre looking for a lot of offense.The Gamecocks (2-4) and Minutemen (1-6), who play Saturday at Williams-Brice Stadium, are two or the worst offenses in the country. Both teams are in the bottom six of the 128 Football Bowl Subdivision teams when it comes to scoring. UMass is 118th in the country at 19.7 points a game while South Carolina is dead last at 14 points a contest.First-year Gamecocks coach Will Muschamp has had to bite his lip and focus on the positives instead of his teams lack of offense .There is a lot of encouragement as far as those guys are going to continue to improve and get better, he said. Does it sometimes get you a little upset about where things are? Certainly, but I also try to keep some perspective about where we are and were going to continue to improve.Part of that process could be a change at quarterback and scrapping the redshirt plans for highly regarded South Carolina freshman quarterback Jake Bentley. The 6-foot-3, 223-pound Bentley was targeted to spend the season on the sidelines after giving up his senior season in high school -- Bentley turns 19 next month -- to enroll at South Carolina.But the lack of attack has Muschamp and quarterbacks coach Kurt Roper searching for any answers to turn around the season.Muschamp, as he has all season, was tight-lipped about his starting QB. Senior Perry Orth started three games while freshman Brandon McIlwain, who enrolled in January, started the others. Neither has been able to consistently move the Gamecocks.We are not in it to just play close. We want to win games, he said. Thats what Ive challenged our guys about, really straining and focusing for those six or eight plays whenever they come in the game to make a difference in those situations.UMass understands that too well, tight end Andrew Breneman said.I think we could look at every game we have played and say what could have been, he said. There were way too many mistakes from everyone, offense and defense.---Some other things to watch when South Caroliina plays UMassDE-FENSE: South Carolina has been better than expected at keeping opponents out of the end zone, sixth in the Southeastern Conference at 20. Tony Dorsett Stitched Jersey. 2 points given up a game. Gamecocks defensive end Darius English said the team worked on basics during its bye last week and feel refreshed headed into the seasons second half.SEC TOUGH: Massachusetts is facing its third Southeastern Conference opponent this season after throwing scares into Florida and Mississippi State. The Minutemen trailed the Gators 10-7 heading into the fourth quarter before losing 24-7. UMass was up 14-13 at halftime on Mississippi State before the Bulldogs took control with 28 points in the third quarter for a 47-35 victory. This is Massachusetts first game with South Carolina. UMass received $1.25 million for its trip to Florida and will get $1.5 million for playing the Gamecocks.YOUNG GAMECOCKS: The Gamecocks hope to continue bringing along their young offensive players. Freshman A.J. Turner is the teams leading rusher with 300 yards. Sophomore Deebo Samuel and freshman Bryan Edwards, both starting receivers, returned from injuries last game against Georgia and combined for seven catches for 125 yards. Samuel also had a 9-yard TD run against the Bulldogs.FORD TOUGH: Sophomore quarterback Andrew Ford has thrown for 12 touchdowns and six interceptions in four starts for Massachusetts. He hit his first 11 passes a week ago in a 56-28 loss to Louisiana Tech last week.BOWL CHANCES: South Carolina coach Will Muschamp said hes spoken with the team about its goals of playing in a bowl game this season -- one that must start by beating UMass. A win would equal its victory total from a season ago. Even if the Gamecocks win, getting to six wins to make the postseason will be difficult with SEC games against No. 18 Tennessee, Missouri and No. 15 Florida and a rivalry game at No. 4 Clemson.---OnlineAP College Football website: www.collegefootball.ap.org ' ' '