50 overs Zimbabwe 193 all out lost to Sri Lanka 256 for 6 (M Atapattu 92, R Arnold 76*) by 63 runs
Scorecard

Sri Lanka started their Champions Trophy campaign in style with a comprehensive victory over Zimbabwe, whose outside hopes of overhauling their target of 257 were ended by five wickets from debutant Charitha Buddika Fernando.

Sri Lanka started poorly after they elected to bat, and only had themselves to blame. Opener Avishka Gunawardene and middle-order stylist Mahela Jayawardene were both run out; then Sanath Jayasuriya chipped a return catch to Travis Friend, and Sri Lanka seemed to be faltering at 101 for 3.

But Marvan Atapattu and Russel Arnold bailed them out of a tricky situation. Atapattu looked in control from the beginning and interspersed clever nudges with elegant drives, the pick of which was an exquisite inside-out lofted cover-drive off Grant Flower. Arnold was efficiency personified, as he squirted the balls into the gaps and ran hard. The partnership added 115 before Atapattu holed out to Craig Wishart at long-on off Sean Ervine when only eight short of his hundred.

Arnold then took on the role of senior partner, and even though Romesh Kaluwitharana came and went quickly, Chaminda Vaas stayed to provide the perfect foil for Arnold, the two putting on 25 in 21 balls. Vaas deposited Ervine over long-on for a huge six before chipping a full-toss from Brent to midwicket with one ball to go. Arnold finished with an invaluable 76, made from 94 deliveries.

Zimbabwe's reply began disastrously, debutant Buddika Fernando taking a wicket with his first legal delivery. After bowling two no-balls, he produced an in-dipper which rapped Doug Marillier on the pad. The movement might have taken the ball past leg stump, but umpire George Sharp ruled otherwise.

Zimbabwe's problems increased when Fernando struck again in his third over, Stuart Carlisle nicking an attempted drive to wicketkeeper Kaluwitharana.

The arrival Andy Flower at the crease marked the beginning of Zimbabwe's brightest period of the match, the two Flower brothers adding 48 runs in just eight overs. But Dilhara Fernando's extra pace, and a slice of luck, did for Andy Flower. He had raced to 22 in 24 balls and looked good for many more, when he edged an attempted cut and Romesh Kaluwitharana took his second catch. Flower could consider himself slightly unfortunate as TV replays showed that Fernando had overstepped.

Grant Flower looked increasingly confident, but fell to a badly misjudged second run. He played Dharmasena to square leg but was left stranded by a superb piece of fielding from Jayawardene.

It was all downhill from there for Zimbabwe. Sean Ervine provided some lower-order resistance with a spunky 47, but the result was never in doubt as the Sri Lankan spinners wove a web around the batsmen, Muttiah Muralitharan finishing with 2 for 16 off 10 overs.

But it was Fernando's day, and he returned to polish off the tail. He ripped through the defences of Gary Brent with the first ball, and with the next delivery removed Travis Friend in a similar manner. He had to wait till the last ball of the final over to get his fifth, Sean Ervine holing out to Dilhara Fernando at mid-off for 47.

Zimbabwe's new captain will be under no illusion as to the size of the task that confronts him after their 13th consecutive one-day defeat. His role was restricted to four overs and an appearance at number eleven. He will need to make a more meaningful contribution against Pakistan on Sunday if Zimbabwe are to avoid a record-equalling 14th loss.

S Rajesh is a sub-editor with Wisden.com India.

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