Date-stamped : 06 Dec95 - 18:29
Zimbabwe v Sri Lanka, Test 1
Harare, 11, 12, 13, 15, 16 October 1994

====> Day 2, 12 Oct 94
Sri Lankans grind to a halt - Geoffrey Dean

Harare is fast establishing a reputation as the place to see Test
cricket's  slowest  hundreds. Two years ago Sanjay Manjrekar took
eight hours 20 minutes to score what was then the fourth slowest.
Yesterday Asanka Gurusinha needed half an hour more. Only two men
have taken longer in Test history. Mudassar Nazar was  slower  by
27 minutes, against England at Lahore in 1977-78, and South Afri-
can Jackie McGlew by 14 minutes against Australia  at  Durban  in
1957-58. It was another day of painfully slow progress by the Sri
Lankans, whose run-rate in their total of  383  was  barely  more
than two an over. Gurusinha's vigil lasted just over 10 hours, by
which time he was entitled to a lapse in concentration.  It  came
when he smacked a half-volley straight to short extra cover. Nei-
ther his 118 nor  Sanjeewa  Ranatunga's  maiden  hundred  in  his
second Test were pretty innings. They were together for 115 overs
while grinding out 217 for the second wicket. With strike  bowler
David  Brain  out of the match, Zimbabwe will have been well con-
tented with their day's work after Sri Lanka, resuming at 157 for
one,  lost their last nine wickets for 138 on a flat pitch thanks
to indifferent batting. The chief danger, Aravinda de Silva, went
cheaply  thanks  to  an  outstanding one-handed catch off his own
bowling by Malcolm Jarvis. It was the sort of tap-tackle dive  he
would  have  made in his international rugby days as a full-back,
yet somehow he held on.   Indeed, Zimbabwe's fielding and  catch-
ing  was  of  a  high  standard.  Wicketkeeper Wayne James took a
blinder down the legside to account for Hashan Tillekeratne. This
was a key wicket in the middle of a fine spell by Zimbabwe's best
bowler, Guy Whittal, who got the most movement and maintained  an
attacking length. As would befit a professional hunter - his nor-
mal occupation - he was always trying to out-think  the  batsmen.
Heath Streak also bowled well, despite being gifted the wicket of
Arjuna Ranatunga, who cut to  point.  Streak  then  knocked  over
eight, nine and 10 through his extra pace.

Thanks :: The Daily Telegraph