The Artful Rangana an unlikely sporting idol

Step aside Roger Federer, Sri Lanka's cricket coach has a new sporting idol.

After another bag of wickets on day three at the SSC Ground in Colombo, spin maestro Rangana Herath has jumped to the top of Graham Ford's list of all-time sporting stars.

Herath finished with a fighting return of 6-81 from 38.1 overs in the baking Colombo heat to collect the 25th five-wicket haul of his 73-Test career.

The wily left-arm tweaker joins the superstar trio of Dale Steyn, Wasim Akram and Harbhajan Singh with a bag of five-or-more wickets on 25 occasions.

Only six players in the history of the game have claimed more, with fellow Sri Lankan Muthiah Muralidaran miles out in front having claimed a five-wicket haul on an extraordinary 67 occasions.

"I can't say enough about the bloke," coach Ford told media after his side went to stumps on day three at 1-22, trailing the visitors by two runs.

"I was joking in the dressing room saying he's my all-time sporting hero. He's just gone ahead of Federer."

Quick Single: Starc strike ends tense third day

The latest effort from Herath was made even more impressive since he bounced back from a nasty blow on Sunday afternoon that forced him to retire hurt.

The tail-ender was struck flush on the protective box from a rising delivery by Josh Hazlewood that ended his innings on 33.

"He's obviously got some pain in the groin as a result of that," Ford revealed.

"It's just limited his movement a little bit, but hopefully it will be a little bit better tomorrow.

"It's quite a challenge for the physio at the moment!"

Herath's ability and willingness to push through the pain that was clearly still inhibiting on the third morning was ultimately rewarded when he played a vital role in yet another Australian batting collapse of 9-112.

With the wicket of Jon Holland to end Australia's innings on 379, Herath joined former England quick Bob Willis with 325 career Test scalps to place him equal 24th on the list of all-time wicket-takers.

The 38-year-old has caused the visiting batsmen all sorts of problems on his way to 21 wickets at an average of 13.95 – with an innings still to come – but Ford has been even more impressed by another facet of his spin spearhead's game.

"He's injured, he's bowling on one leg, and he just shows so much guts and fight," the Sri Lanka coach said.

"For an older guy to show that it just ignites the fight within the younger group in the example that he sets.

"It really makes the job of the leadership group a lot easier when you've got a chap like that who goes out there and shows such courage batting and takes on the quicks.

"After his nasty incident batting, he comes on to bowl and makes a couple of brilliant diving stops in the dirt off his own bowling.

"If you've got the old man throwing himself around like that, the youngsters just don't have any excuse.

"To have him in the side is brilliant."

The in-form spinner is still clearly one of the most dominant bowlers in the game, but he remains coy regarding how long he'll continue in the game's longest format.

"I have always said that I take it series by series," Herath said during the recent Galle Test.

"I am 38 and let's see how it goes."

While it seems unlikely Herath will reel in Murali's wicket-taking records, he'll need to settle for the title of his coach's new sporting hero.

Afterall, how many five-wicket hauls has Roger Federer taken in Test cricket? Exactly.

Most Test five-wicket hauls

Muthiah Muralidaran (SL) – 67 

Shane Warne (AUS) – 37

Sir Richard Hadlee (NZ) – 36

Anil Kumble (IND) – 35

Glenn McGrath (AUS) – 29

Ian Botham (ENG) – 27

Rangana Herath (SL) – 25

Dale Steyn (SA) – 25

Wasim Akram (PAK) – 25

Harbhajan Singh (IND) – 25