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| 10 October 2004 | Sunday | 24 Shaban 1425 |
Sri Lanka compound Zimbabwe's misery
RAWALPINDI, Oct 9: Sri Lanka did not have to sweat, not even a bit, as they scored their first victory of the tri-series competition on Saturday downing Zimbabwe by seven wickets at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium.
Zimbabwe had lost it after managing only 104 runs in 33 overs and the Sri Lankans completed what was a mere formality for them, losing three wickets in going past that total in the 19th over.
Tillekeratne Dilshan and Upal Chandana were the unbeaten batsmen in a woefully one-sided match watched only by a handful of spectators who were clearly outnumbered by security personnel.
It was always expected to be a mismatch and so it proved as Zimbabwe were unable to end their dismal run in international cricket that has now seen them go 13 matches without a win.
"It was a comfortable victory for us and I hope we maintain the same intensity in our next game against them," Sri Lankan captain Marvan Atapattu said.
Saman Jayantha, coming in for Avishka Gunawardene, made the chase look quite easy as he along with Sanath Jayasuriya, gave Sri Lanka a swift 49-run start in less than nine overs. But Jayantha became the first of Elton Chigumbura's two victims, providing a top edge to Tatenda Taibu behind the stumps for 21 and went after striking four boundaries.
Then Jayasuriya, who was doing well at the crease having smashed six fours and a six, was bowled by Chigumbura at his personal score of 40 in the 11th over while Upal Chandana fell cheaply to Tinashe Panyangara.
It was then left to Dilshan, who scored 23 runs and Man of the Match Farveez Maharoof (7 not out) to do the rest. But the match award was of course not for his batting, rather it were his exceptional bowling figures of 5-3-11-2 that earned him the honour.
Asked to bat first on a difficult pitch, only opener Stuart Matsikenyeri was able to execute some fine strokes in scoring 37 runs, the highest of the Zimbabwe innings. Playing elegantly, the batsman struck seven fours in his 46-ball innings.
Zimbabwe could never recover after being reduced to 55 for three by the 15th over with Nuwan Zoysa first sending back Brendon Taylor for three and then Maharoof snaring the wickets of Matsikenyeri and Vusimuzi Sibanda for seven.
The early loss of Taylor seemed to have little effect on Matsikennyeri though as he took his side past the half century mark before swinging across the line to lose his wicket.
Not even captain Taibu, who had stroked an unbeaten 46 against Pakistan in the last match at Peshawar, could work out a way and fell lbw to Chaminda Vaas, as soon as the bowler came in for his second spell in the 22nd over.
Taibu, needing only one run to complete 1000 in international cricket went for nought and will now have to wait till Monday, when Zimbabwe play Sri Lanka again, for another chance to achieve that milestone.
The wicket was on a bit of greener side, I think we had a good start but some poor shot selection and some good bowling cost us, Taibu said.
Zimbabwe were in trouble all through the innings and so bad was their condition that only two batsmen could end up with double figures, Dion Ebrahim finishing the second best behind Matsikenyeri on 24 not out.
With Zimbabwe reeling at 72-5, spinner Chandana did the mopping up by taking the wickets of Chigumbura, Panyangara and last man Edward Rainsford whose leg stump he uprooted to return figures of three for 15 in six overs.
Paceman Vaas, Maharoof and Dilhara Fernando shared six wickets while Zoysa picked up one, all playing their part in the rout of their inexperienced rivals.
Apart from Gunawardene, Sri Lanka also dropped Kaushal Lokuarachchi and played Dilhara Fernando in his place while Zimbabwe brought in Rainsford for Douglas Hondo.
Scoreboard
Zimbabwe
S. Matsikenyeri b Maharoof 37
B. Taylor c Sangakkara b Zoysa 3
V. Sibanda c Jayantha b Maharoof 7
D. Ebrahim not out 24
M. Vermeulen c Atapattu b Fernando 7
T. Taibu lbw Vaas 0
E. Chigumbura c and b Chandana 1
M. Nkala c Atapattu b Vaas 1
T. Panyangara lbw Chandana 2
P. Utseya b Fernando 1
E. Rainsford b Chandana 5
Extras (lb-1, w-11, nb-4) 16
Total (all out in 33 overs) 104
Fall of wkts: 1-10 2-54 3-55 4-72 5-72 6-73 7-76 8-84 9-94
Bowling: Chaminda Vaas 8-0-20-2 (nb-1), Nuwan Zoysa 6-1-24-1 (nb-1, w-2), Farveez Maharoof 5-3-11-2, Dilhara Fernando 8-1-33-2 (nb-2, w-6), Upul Chandana 6-0-15-3 (w-3).
Sri Lanka
S.Jayantha c Taibu b Chigumbura 21
S.Jayasuriya b Chigumbura 40
T.Dilshan not out 26
U.Chandana b Panyangara 7
Farveez Maharoof not out 7
Extras (lb-1, w-6) 7
Total (for three wkts, 18.1 overs) 108
Did not bat: Marvan Atapattu, Kumar Sangakkara, Mahela Jayawardene, Chaminda Vaas, Nuwan Zoysa, , Dilhara Fernando.
Fall of wkts: 1-49 2-70 3-96
Bowling: Panyangara 8-1-36-1 (w-1), Rainsford 5-0-31-0 (w-1), Chigumbura 3-0-18-2 (w-1), Nkala 2.1-0-22-0 (w-3)
Result: Sri Lanka won by seven wickets
Next match: Sri Lanka v Zimbabwe on Oct 11
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