3rd Test: Sri Lanka v Zimbabwe at Galle, 12-16 Jan 2002 CricInfo Live Report

3rd Test: Sri Lanka v Zimbabwe at Galle, 12-16 Jan 2002
Charlie Austin

Sri Lanka 1st innings: Day two: Morning, Day two: Lunch, Day two: Afternoon, Day two: Tea, Day two: Innings close,
Live Reports from previous days

SRI LANKA BOWLED OUT FOR 418

Zimbabwe finally bowled out Sri Lanka for 418 midway through the final session of the second day leaving them with a difficult 19 overs batting before the close of play.

With Upul Chandana nearing a maiden century and the hot sun losing its intensity, the crowd had increased in number and volume, but there were to be disappointed when both Chandana and Samaraweera failed to score hundreds.

Chandana was dismissed 22 minutes after the break when he waltzed down the wicket and tried to loft Douglas Marillier for four. But he failed to find enough elevation and the ball skimmed to Stuart Carlisle at mid off who completed a good high catch.

The catch brought to an end a record 146 run partnership for the eighth wicket and ended Chandana’s hopes of a maiden ton. The right-hander had scored 92 from 167 balls and hit 10 fours.

In the end it took a run out to dislodge Samaraweera, who batted for four and three quarter hours for his 76 and faced 232 balls.

Charitha Fernando flicked the ball onto the leg side and set off for a single. But he soon realised he had made a misjudgment and hesitated. Both batsmen were left stranded in the middle of the wicket as Heath Streak whipped off the bails. The television umpire adjudged Samaraweera out after the batsmen failed to cross.

Muttiah Muralitharan then threatened some late evening entertainment with some trademark swipes but his potential cameo was cut short as Fernando was bowled by Marillier.

It was Marillier’s fourth wicket of the innings. Henry Olonga, meanwhile, now faces the ignominy of not taking a single wicket in the entire series having bowled 65 overs without success.

CHANDANA BREAKS THE DEADLOCK IN GALLE

Sri Lanka raised the tempo in the second hour of the afternoon as both Thilan Samaraweera and local leg-spinner Upul Chandana both scored half-centuries to leave the hosts in a strong position at the tea interval.

The pair added 93 runs in the session and 129 for the eighth wicket, which was an all-country record for Sri Lanka, surpassing the 117 scored by Mahela Jayawardene and Chaminda Vaas against South Africa in 2000.

As tea was being taken and dancing girls celebrated the official handing over of the Janashakthi National Test series trophy, Sri Lanka were 383 for seven, with Samaraweera on 58 from 202 balls and Chandana on 81 from 150 balls.

It was Chandana who was chiefly responsible for breaking the post lunch deadlock as he switched on to the offensive after bring up his first Test fifty with a lofted drive. The slightly built all-rounder scored 60 in the session and hit seven fours.

CHANDANA NEARS FIFTY IN SOPORIFIC POST LUNCH SESSION

A tedious morning was followed by a soporific hour after lunch but the tempo was just starting to change midway through the afternoon as Upul Chandana neared his first Test half-century.

Sri Lanka added 44 runs in the hour, which in comparison to the morning was a virtual sprint. It meant that the hosts were building an excellent first innings score and were 334 for seven.

Thilan Samaraweera continued to show his imperturbable temperament as he crawled onto 42 after four hours of attrition whilst Chandana had scored 49 from 112 balls.

Chandana, however, brightened the mood of an impatient crowd with two boundaries: a pull for four off a rank long hop from Douglas Marillier and a hefty clump over wide mid on off Trevor Gripper.

TEDIUM PREVAILS AS ZIMBABWE GET NEGATIVE

The second hour of the second morning was high in tedium and low in excitement as Zimbabwe’s bowlers went on the defensive and Sri Lanka’s batsmen refused to throw away their wickets.

It was a plan designed to test the patience of Sri Lanka’s normally free flowing players but Thilan Samaraweera is as obdurate player as Sri Lanka have and he was in no hurry whatsoever.

Sri Lanka scored 28 in the first hour and 19 in the second to leave them on 290 for seven at the luncheon interval. Upul Chandana was on 21 from 63 balls, whilst Samaraweera has batted for nearly three hours for his 28.

The run rate sagged when the spin was introduced from both ends. Grant Flower bowled over the wicket and into the rough outside the leg-stump of the Sri Lankans, whilst Douglas Marillier bowled his off-breaks to a packed leg-side field.

Nevertheless, the Sri Lankans were guilty of missing opportunities to score. Frequent full tosses were patted for singles and the lack of urgency hardly thrilled an expectant Sunday crowd.

ZIMBABWE GRAB ONE MORE AS SAMARAWEERA RESISTS

Zimbabwe grabbed an early wicket on the second morning but Thilan Samaraweera and Upul Chandana, who started to build a useful eighth wicket stand, then held up the visitors.

Sri Lanka, hopeful for a first innings total in excess of 300, which they believe is a match winning score, were 271 for seven after the first hour, with Samaraweera on 19 and Chandana on 11.

Zimbabwe started the day with pace from both ends and Travis Friend soon surprised the right-handed Samaraweera with a skidding bouncer that struck him painfully on the shoulder as he took evasive action.

But it was Chaminda Vaas who was the man to fall. The left-hander, full of confidence after two unbeaten half-centuries in the first two Tests, tried to flay the ball to leg and was trapped lbw by Heath Streak for eight (254 for seven).

Chandana, the homeboy hero, then came to the crease and started well with two square drives for four off Douglas Marillier. Samaraweera was more dogged, twice breaking out of his shell to guide the ball through the slips for four.