4th Match: Sri Lanka v Zimbabwe at Sharjah, 30 Oct 2001 CricInfo Live Report

4th Match: Sri Lanka v Zimbabwe at Sharjah, 30 Oct 2001
Santhosh S

Sri Lanka innings: 15 overs, 30 overs, End of innings,
Pre-game: Toss,
Zimbabwe innings: 15 overs, 30 overs, 50 overs,

SRI LANKA COMPLETE AN EMPHATIC 79 RUNS WIN

Zimbabwe lost three more wickets as their run chase never materialised at Sharjah, losing their third successive match in the Khaleej Times Trophy 2001. Tonight they lost to a much superior Sri Lankan side by 79 runs. Zimbabwe could only muster 171/8 off the 50 overs. A fighting half century for Douglas Marillier (51*) was the only saving grace for the Zimbabweans. Streak (5) Nkala (5) and Brent (8) failed make an impression. Friend remained unbeaten on two. Kumar Dharmasena was the pick of the bowlers, finishing with the figures of 10-0-26-3. Muralitharan was miserly as he has been in this tournament and finished with 10-1-22-1.

We will be back with a full match report in a short while.

ZIMBABWE IN DEEP TROUBLE, 102/5 AFTER 30 OVERS

After making a cautious start to their run chase, Zimbabwe have completely lost their way and are 102/5 at the end of the 30th over. Marillier (3*) and Streak (2*) are fighting it out in the middle. The required run rate has gone up to 7.45 per over and the road ahead looks quite bleak for the Zimbabwe team.

Zimbabwe lost two quick wickets in the 19th over. Gripper pulled a short ball from Liyanage straight to Arnold at square leg. Gripper seem to have completely lost the plot as he took 60 balls to make 26 runs, the only boundary being the streaky edge off the ball prior to his dismissal.

Two balls later there was more heartbreak for the Zimbabweans, Andy Flower played a powerful cover drive, which was well stopped by a diving Atapattu, who recovered well and effected a run out at the non-striker's end. Carlisle who was looking good for a big one was tragically run out after making 37 off 46 balls with the help of five boundaries. At the end of the 19th over Zimbabwe were reduced to 66/3.

Andy Flower was the fourth batsman to be dismissed. Flower, who had struck a sweetly timed extra cover drive for four off the bowling of Liyanage, was fooled by a shorter delivery from Kumar Dharmasena. Flower managed to get a top edge of the intended pull shot and after yet another confusion between Muralitharan and Sngakkara, it was Muralitharan who completed the catch. Flower made 13 off 23 balls and the fourth wicket fell at the score of 93 in the 27th over.

Dion Ebrahim had scratched around to make 15 runs off 30 balls and became Dharmasena's second victim, some good work by Sangakkara behind the stumps meant that Ebrahim was given out stumped. Zimbabwe innings was reeling at 99/5 in the 29th over at the fall of Ebrahim's wicket.

ZIMBABWE MAKES A CAUTIOUS START IN THEIR RUN CHASE

Zimbabwe were 55/1 at the end of the 15th over, chasing a target of 251 runs for their first win in the tournament. The Zimbabwe run chase got off to a lucky start. Chaminda Vaas steamed in to bowl the first ball of the innings and delivered the perfect delivery, pitched on the off and seaming in a shade, the ball thudded in to the pads of Grant Flower. A loud and confident shout for leg before the wicket by was turned down by umpire Eddie Nichols, much to the disappointment of the Sri Lankans. That ball would have missed the off and leg stumps and hit the middle, the decision went in favour of the Flower.

Justice was served without much of a delay; with the second ball of his second over, Vaas produced the same delivery, pitching on middle and off, Grant Flower got squared up completely and the ball knocked back his middle stump. Flower's stay in the middle produced just two runs off six balls. That was to be the only success in the first 15 overs for the persevering Sri Lankans.

Stuart Carlisle joined Tevor Gripper in the middle and kept the scorecard moving with some cracking shots. In the meanwhile Buddika Fernando who was generating some good pace managed to get a thick edge off the bat of Carlisle, the ball fell just short of the first slip. Carlisle made Fernando suffer a bit, taking him for boundaries on the off side and on side. In the sixth over, Carlisle played a powerful square cut and a glorious cover drive for fours.

Ever since the one bouncer per over rule has arrived in One-Day International cricket, the fast bowlers have been using successfully; rightfully too. Heath Streak claimed a couple of wickets like that in the Sri Lankan innings. Chaminda Vaas used his experience and dug the last ball of the 11th over short and quick. Gripper went for the hook shot and managed to get a thick edge, the ball went high in the air on the off side. Kumar Sangakkara and Muttiah Muralitharan charged towards the ball and in the confusion Muralitharan spilled the catch.

Muralitharan was brought in to bowl in the 14th over and started getting the ball to turn square straight away. The threat of Muralitharan choking up the opposition to submission looms large. In this tournament Muralitharan has bowled 20 overs and picked three wickets giving away a miserly 36 runs. At the end of the 15th over Gripper 17* (44 balls) SV Carlisle 35* (40 balls, 5 fours) are at the crease. Zimbabwe still needs 196 runs at 5.60 runs per over.

STREAK AND BRENT HELP ZIMBABWE RESTRICT SRI LANKA TO 250

Soon after the 30th over, Russel Arnold got to his fifty with a cracking extra cover drive off Nkala. Jayawardene too played a glorious extra cover drive off Nkala and raced to his fifty off just 60 balls. Zimbabwe did not have to wait long to break the fourth wicket partnership between Jayawardene and Arnold.

In the 33rd over Heath Streak brought back into the attack dug a ball short and Arnold going for a pull shot could only get a top edge down to Brent at fine leg, who made no mistake. Arnold was at the crease for 77 balls, striking four boundaries in making 56 runs. The fourth wicket partnership yielded 111 runs off 21.4 overs.

The new batsman Kumar Sangakkara looked a bit shaky to start with, a thick outside edge off the bowling of Murhpy. Jayawardene was looking for more runs and paid the penlaty too, lofting Marillier to Trevor Gripper at long on. The stylish Sri Lankan batsman made 63 runs off 78 balls with the help of half a dozen boundaries. Sri Lanka were reduced 199/5 in the 39th over.

Kumar Dharmasena and Sangakkara took the team score to 223 by the end of the 45th over. Marillier struck again this time to remove Dharmasena (8) brilliantly stumped by Andy Flower. Sangakkara who was accumulating runs in singles and twos was the next to go, bowled by Brent after making 35 runs off 50 balls.

Streak struck again with a short-pitched delivery in the 49th over, Liyanage (2) trying to pull was a bit too late on it, got the edge which came down into the gloves off Andy flower. Sri Lankans looking to finish with a flurry lost Muralitharan (2), caught by Grant Flower at long off, smacking a full toss straight to the fielder. Grant Flower ran Chaminda Vaas (13) out with a brilliant direct hit from the deep. Buddika remained unbeaten on nought as Sri Lanka were all out for 250 in 49.4 overs.

Heath Streak (10-0-59-4) and Gary Brent (7.4-0-33-3) were easily the pick of the Zimbabwe bowlers. Sri Lanka could only manage 47 runs off the last 10 overs, losing the remaining five wickets. The Flower brothers too did their bit, Andy Flower picking up a catch and a quicksilver stumping; Grant Flower has two catches to his name and that direct hit to dismiss Vaas and finish the Sri Lankan innings.

Zimbabwe will have to score 251 runs to register their first win in the tournament. The required run rate of 5.02 should not be a stiff one for Zimbabwe. Once again the focus will be on Andy Flower with the bat, and there is always the wily Muttiah Muralitharan who could very well spin Sri Lanka to victory.

JAYAWARDENE AND ARNOLD STEADY THE SRI LANKAN INNINGS

Sri Lanka scored 79 runs without losing a wicket in the last 15 overs to reach 159/3 at the end of the 30th over. Jayawardene (43*) and Arnold (49*) are giving the Sri Lankan score the required thrust forward. The two batsmen have put together an unbeaten partnership of 97 runs in 19.1 overs for the fourth wicket.

Jayawardene playing with his usual finesse turned his attention to Gary Brent, an elegant flick and a sweetly timed straight drive for fours. Arnold too was in a punishing mood, turning his attention to an erratic Marillier. The short-pitched stuff offered by Marillier was dispatched to the fine leg and mid-wicket fence in disdain.

The running between the wickets has been exemplary and the Zimbabwe bowlers clearly ran out of ideas about breaking this partnership, which is growing a bit too big for Zimbabwe’s comfort. Skipper Brian Murphy with his gentle leg-break too failed to make an impression on the well-set batsmen.

Jayawardene who has been growing in confidence, stepped out and smacked Murphy high over mid-on for a boundary, the ball pitching just short of the boundary line. The combination of right-handed Jayawardene and left-handed Arnold is causing enough trouble to the Zimbabwe bowlers, who have been struggling to bowl on one side of the wicket.

Arnold and Jayawardene have hit four boundaries each, facing 67 and 55 balls respectively. Zimbabwe will have to get a wicket or two in a hurry to swing the pendulum back in their favour.

ZIMBABWE STRIKES BACK AFTER SRI LANKA MAKE AN EXPLOSIVE START

Zimbabwe have wrested the advantage by picking up three early wickets in their match against Sri Lanka being played at Sharjah. After electing to bat, Sanath Jayasuriya was on fire straight away, scoring 14 runs off the very first over of the match bowled by Heath Streak; a glorious square drive and a neat flick to the fine leg fence fetched the Sri Lankan skipper a couple of boundaries.

Avishka Gunawardene got off the mark with a boundary; the edge off the bowling of Travis Friend sped past the ropes at third-man. Jayasuriya kept the momentum going by playing a cracking straight drive off Streak and then flicked one from Friend for four.

Sri Lanka lost their skipper off the last ball of the fifth over with the total on 41; Jayasuriya played a lazy flick straight down the throat of Friend at mid-wicket fence. Jayasuriya made 25 runs off 21 balls with the help of four boundaries.

Gary Brent struck the second big blow by removing the stylish Marvan Atapattu (9), playing a careless shot to be caught by Grant Flower at short covers. At that stage Sri Lanka were 59/2 in 9.2 overs.

Gunawardene was distinctly unlucky to be given out lbw by umpire Rudi Koertzen from South Africa. The ball clearly pitched a shade outside the leg stump line and the lucky bowler was Streak. Gunawardene made 14 runs off 23 balls with the help of one four.

Sri Lanka are trying to rebuild the innings after the three early blows, Mahela Jayawardene is unbeaten on seven and Russel Arnold is batting on 11. At the end of the 15th over Sri Lanka were 80/3.

SRI LANKA BAT FIRST AFTER WINNING THE TOSS

Sanath Jayasuriya has won the toss and elected to bat first against Zimbabwe in the Kahleej Times Trophy being played at Sharjah. The weather is warm, sunny and crisp in Sharjah on this Tuesday afternoon.

Zimbabwe has made one change to their side, Nkala coming in to replace Ervine. Sri Lanka has rested Dilhara Fernando, Romesh Kaluwitharana and Nissanka; Buddika Fernando, Liyanage and Kumar Dharmasena have taken their place in the team. Kumar Sangakkara will wear the gloves behind the stumps for Sri Lanka tonight.

Sri Lanka goes in to this match with two wins and two bonus points taking their tally to ten points and are on top of the points table. Zimbabwe has no points so far as they lost out to Sri Lanka and Pakistan in their opening round of matches. Zimbabwe will have to be at their very best tonight to notch up their first win in the tournament.

The Teams are as follows: Sri Lanka team: *ST Jayasuriya, DA Gunawardene, MS Atapattu, DPMD Jayawardene, RP Arnold, K Sangakkara, WPUJC Vaas, M Muralitharan, TCB Fernando, DK Liyanage, HDPK Dharmasena.

Zimbabwe team: TR Gripper, GW Flower, SV Carlisle, +A Flower, DD Ebrahim, DA Marillier, HH Streak, ML Nkala, GB Brent, TJ Friend, *BA Murphy.