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| Monday, 26 April 2004 |
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Vaas completes 300 ODI wickets: Zimbabwe bowled out for record low as Lanka win Sa'adi Thawfeeq reporting from Zimbabwe HARARE, Sunday - Chaminda Vaas not only took his 300th wicket in one-day internationals but demolished the frail Zimbabwe batting for a world record low of 35 all out to give Sri Lanka a rather relatively easy nine-wicket win in the third one-day international played at the Harare Sports Club here today.
Sri Lanka took an unassailable 3-0 lead in the five-match series after today's victory. The margins of defeat suffered by this understrength Zimbabwe side is certain to bring increasing pressure on the Zimbabwe Cricket Union to solve the player crisis urgently. Zimbabwe lost the first two internationals played at Bulawayo by 12 runs and by nine wickets. The match was all over in a matter of 127 minutes and lasted just 27.2 overs before lunch. Zimbabwe was shot out for 35 off 18 overs in 88 minutes and Sri Lanka hit off the required runs in 39 minutes using up 9.2 overs. As in the second international at Bulawayo they lost a wicket in knocking the runs off. On this occasion it was Russel Arnold promoted to open who was dismissed. The left-hander looked least convincing in his 19-ball knock for six runs before he edged a delivery from Douglas Hondo to wicket-keeper Tatenda Taibu. Saman Jayantha who made a maiden one-day half-century in the second match at Bulawayo continued his fine form to remain 28 not out scored off 26 balls. He finished the match off in style stroking Panyangara through the covers for four and then following it up with a hooked six over long leg. Mahela Jayawardene remained unbeaten on three. Zimbabwe's total of 35 was the lowest ever in one-day internationals beating the 36 by Canada against Sri Lanka in the World Cup match at Paarl in 2002-03. Zimbabwe were also dismissed for 38 by Sri Lanka at the SSC three years ago and on that occasion Vaas took a world record best of eight wickets for 19 runs. Today on a seaming pitch, Vaas was and his two fast bowling partners Dilhara Fernando and debutant Farveez Maharoof proved unplayable as they scythed through the hapless Zimbabwean batting. Zimbabwe put into bat for the third time in as many matches in the five-match series, were all at sea against the three-pronged seam attack and none of their batsmen managed to get into double figures. Vaas (4 for 11), Fernando (2 for 18) and Maharoof (3 for 3) had easy pickings as the Zimbabweans showed how incompetent they were to combat this high quality seam attack. Vice captain Dion Ebrahim and Extras were the top scorers with seven apiece and four batsmen failed to trouble the scorers. Vaas starting the match needing three wickets to join the elite list of bowlers who had taken 300 wickets in one-day internationals, had to wait until his fifth over for his first success of the innings. He had opener Brendon Taylor caught off pad and bat by Dilshan at forward short leg and then bowled Chigumbura three balls later for a duck. His 300th wicket came in his seventh over when Alester Maregwede played on to an inswinger. Vaas threw his hands in the air and there was celebrations all round from his colleagues who ran into offer congratulations. Playing in his 235th match Vaas became the sixth bowler in one-day international history to take 300 wickets after Pakistanis Wasim Akram (502 wickets) and Waqar Younis (416), Sri Lanka's Muralitharan (355) and Indians Javagal Srinath (315) and Anil Kumble (315). Fernando making a comeback after four months bowled fast and quick and was a handful on the seaming pitch while 19-year-old Maharoof made a memorable one-day debut capturing a wicket off his fourth ball and then going on to add a further two more wickets for sensational figures of 3-2-3-3. The performance of the seamers left another one-day debutant Rangana Herath without any bowling. Herath replaced Muttiah Muralitharan who was rested for this match along with Nuwan Zoysa and Upul Chandana. Vaas aims for 400 wickets "I think it is a great achievement for me playing for Sri Lanka. Only a few bowlers have done it and I am in that club now. I want to continue the way I am bowling," said an elated Vaas after his accomplishment. "I have many years of cricket left and I am targeting 400 one-day wickets. If I go on like this I think I can reach that target," he said. Vaas said the pitch was a seamers paradise and that he had not seen a wicket like it for a long time. "Having played most of my matches in the subcontinent it was a dream pitch for a fast bowler. It was seaming from the very first ball and if you were prepared to put the ball in the right spot you can get wickets." Vaas said that Fernando bowled with good rhythm and if he continued like this he could be very useful in future games. "In his first match Maharoof bowled very well and if he continues in this vein he will have a long career ahead of him. But Dilhara and Maharoof will have to look after themselves and train properly," he said. "Cricket has become a mind game now and we have to train and look after ourselves. The main thing is to train properly and try to keep yourself free of injuries. I am training very hard and my mind is strong which is what keeps me going," Vaas continued. "I have developed my outswinger and it is coming nicely. So is the slower ball. Those are the main deliveries I got wickets from," he said. Vaas said he valued his 300th wicket and dedicated it to his family and parents. When he took a world record eight wickets for 19 runs also against Zimbabwe at the SSC in 2001-02 he dedicated that performance to his wife whose birthday it was on that day. Vaas said that although the opposition was weak it still did not take away the performance his team had achieved against Zimbabwe. "Every game is important to us. Getting a side out for 35 is a great achievement for Sri Lanka cricket. We came here to play the full Zimbabwe side. We will have to play against whatever opposition they put up against us," Vaas said. ZIMBABWE S. Matsikenyeri run out (Herath) 4 B. Taylor b Vaas 4 D. Ebrahim c Sangakara Fernando 7 T. Taibu lbw b Fernando 0 E. Chigumbura b Vaas 0 A. Maregwede b Vaas 2 V. Sibanda c Dilshan b Maharoof 4 M. Nkala not out 4 P. Utseya lbw b Vaas 0 D. Hondo c Sangakkara b Maharoof 4 T. Panyangara c Sangakkara b Maharoof 0 Extras (lb-2 w-4) 6 TOTAL (all out, 18 overs) 35 FALL OF WICKETS: 1-5 2-18 3-18 4-18 5-19 6-27 7-27 8-28 9-35. BOWLING: Vaas 9-3-12-4 (w-1), Fernando 6-2-18-2 (w-3),Maharoof 3-1-3-3. SRI LANKA S. Jayantha not out 28 R. Arnold c Taibu b Hondo 6 M. Jayawardene not out 3 Extras (w-3) 3 TOTAL (for one wicket, 9.2 overs) 40 FALL OF WICKET: 1-23 BOWLING: Hondo 5-0-11-1 (w-3), Panyangara 4.2-0-29-0. |
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