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World Cup: Sri Lankans delight as de Silva shines

Sri Lanka (229-4) beat Zimbabwe (228-6) by six wickets

An exhilarating third-wicket partnership of 172 between Asanka Gurusinha and Aravinda de Silva in Colombo yesterday gave Sri Lanka the perfect start to their much-publicised World Cup campaign with victory over Zimbabwe.

The rain came, much as the prophets thought it would, but not in time to spoil the fun for the lively 17,000-strong crowd who danced to the tune of a relentless brass band, and the rhythm of majestic strokeplay.

It has not been an easy month for Sri Lanka, who are shocked by the adverse reaction to the burst of activity from the Tamil terrorists. To the local, Colombo has no worse a problem than so many threatened cities of the world and the hosting of the World Cup is a proud tonic.

The locals should have welcomed Australia last weekend, but they chose not to come, so Zimbabwe received something like hero status, simply for turning up. The security men were out in force, and the attractive Sinhalese Sports Club ground was not full until the middle of the day, so long did it take to clear the turnstiles.

But it was worth the wait as, after a panicky start, when Romesh Kaluwitharana and Sanath Jayasuriya committed hara-kiri and left their team uncertain on 23 for two, Gurusinha and de Silva played with real panache to break records and to overhaul Zimbabwe's presentable 229 with more than 12 overs to spare.

Gurusinha, the strong left-hander, hammered half a dozen sixes with pulls and drives equalling the World Cup best sixhitting efforts of Vivian Richards in 1987 against Sri Lanka and Kapil Dev in 1983 against Zimbabwe. De Silva, the little maestro who was selected as the man of the match, revived memories of his wonderful hundred in the Benson and Hedges Cup final at Lord's last year, his 91 being the highest score by a Sri Lankan in a World Cup match. Their stand was the highest in one-day cricket for their country, passing the 170 put on by Roy Dias and Sidath Wettimuny against India 13 years ago.

It must be said that Zimbabwe gave them every chance by bowling with eccentric inaccuracy, and conceding 23 runs in wides. The first over of the Sri Lankan innings bowled by Heath Streak, was symptomatic, for he conceded 11 runs in wides, a boundary and a single and took the wicket of Kaluwitharana who mis-hooked to mid-on.

Thereafter none of the seamers could bowl straight, and when the spinners did they were thumped over the infield, or cut with unerring precision. Zimbabwe clung to the game with typical commitment in the field, but there was little that poor Andy Flower, the helpless captain, could do to stop the rot.

The rot had begun earlier in the day when the New Zealand umpire, Steve Dunne, adjudged Flower run out without referring to the third umpire. Flower was understandably livid as the replay suggested so much doubt that a decision would have been impossible.

The match was riddled with feeble umpiring and though Guy Whittall had the benefit of a bad one, Zimbabwe had the wrong end of the stick overall. Whittall's escape allowed him to punch the ball down the ground freely, and his third-wicket partnership of 56 with Alistair Campbell, who playedpowerfully through the leg side, promised a more formidable total. Campbell has not always fulfilled his talent, but he had a good day and for a time had charge of Sri Lanka's varied attack.

The best of which was the left arm swing and cut of Chaminda Vaas and the tidy off-breaks of the maligned but recovering Muthiah Muralitharan. The home team were sharp in the field, held their catches - an area of their play which has greatly improved since the arrival of their Australian coach,

Dav Whatmore, and had a swagger in their step that suggested they plan to go all the way.