Sri Lanka make a clean sweep over Zimbabwe
Sri Lanka rounded out a 5-0 series victory over Zimbabwe at Harare
Sports Club here Sunday, winning by just 19 runs after struggling to 152
all out having been put into bat. Zimbabwe, whose spinners had given
them a chance on a lifeless pitch at least to try to prevent the
whitewash, replied with 133, hardly the stuff of hot batsmanship and
indeed they lost their last four wickets for just three runs.
This narrow triumph followed two previous close calls, where Sri
Lanka had won by two wickets and then by five runs.
The first two matches in the series had ended quickly for the Sri
Lankans as they bundled out the home side for 67 and 124.
Zimbabwe almost snatched it, however, in Sunday’s final effort before
their late collapse.
With Prosper Utseya and Keith Dabengwa putting on 72 for the seventh
wicket to reach 130, Sri Lanka were showing signs of anxiety until
Muralitharan captured the tail-enders amid much celebration from the
visitors.
Sri Lanka’s innings was a modest effort and neither team managed to
achieve a score of 200 runs in the entire series. Captain Mahela
Jayawardene had a miserable time here, scoring just 14 runs in four
innings. He was out for nought, the same as on Friday.
On this final day only Thinina Kandamby figured prominently with 40
but he required 100 balls to get there. For Zimbabwe Utseya made 31 and
Dabenwa 39 and their efforts seemed to be bearing fruit until that final
collapse.. Muralitharan finished with 5-29 in his 10 overs.
The series, though successful for Sri Lanka, raised questions about
their batting.And they could easily have gone home in defeat, so close
were the results of three of the matches.
HARARE, Sunday, AFP
SRI LANKA INNINGS
W Tharanga b Rainsford 6
M Jayawardene c Utseya b Mupariwa 0
K Sangakkara c Taibu b Matsikenyeri 28
C Kapugedera c Matsikenyeri b Mupariwa 4
S Kandamby run out (Taibu) 40
J Mubarak c Matsikenyeri b Dabengwa 16
A Mathews c Masakadza b Rainsford 31
K Kulasekara b Price 1
M Muralitharan run out (Taibu) 5
B Mendis not out 0
C Fernando b Rainsford 2
Extras (b6, lb2, w11) 19
Total (all out; 48.5 overs) 152
Fall of wickets: 1-6, 2-8, 3-23, 4-62, 5-97, 6-129, 7-132, 8-147, 9-150, 10-152.
Bowling: E Rainsford 8.5-3-22-3 (1w), T Mupariwa 7-1-17-2 (1w), E Chigumbura 2-0-18-0 (5w),
P Utseya 10-2-15-0 (1w), S Matsikenyeri 10-0-29-1 (2w), R Price 7-0-28-1 (1w), KM Dabengwa 4-0-15-1.
Zimbabwe INNINGS
H Masakadza c Mendis b Fernando 7
V Sibanda lbw b Muralitharan 5
T Taibu lbw b Fernando 14
CJ Chibhabha lbw b Muralitharan 1
S Matsikenyeri lbw b Muralitharan 4
E Chigumbura b Muralitharan 5
KM Dabengwa b Kulasekara 39
P Utseya lbw b Kulasekara 31
RW Price lbw b Muralitharan 3
T Mupariwa c Mendis b Kulasekara 0
EC Rainsford not out 0
Extras (lb4, w18, nb2) 24
Total (all out; 44 overs) 133
Fall of wickets: 1-23, 2-25, 3-27, 4-40, 5-49, 6-58, 7-130, 8-133, 9-133, 10-133.
Bowling: CRD Fernando 9-0-33-2 (2nb, 3w)- KMDN Kulasekara 9-2-14-3 (1w), M Muralitharan 10-2-29-5 (3w),
BAW Mendis 9-0-23-0 (2w), J Mubarak 4-0-14-0, AD Mathews 2-0-13-0, SHT Kandamby 1-0-3-0. |
