Date-stamped : 13 Sep96 - 14:09 PRE-MATCH Daily News Play Zimbabwe in First Test today Lanka out to establish Test levels By SA'ADI THAWFEEQ Having proved themselves to be the best in the abbreviated version of the game, Sri Lanka will begin their quest to establish that they are equally good in the longer version of it as well, when they take on Zimbabwe in the first of a short series of two Tests at R. Premadasa Stadium beginning 10 a.m. today. Fresh from their success in the four-nation Singer World Series which ended on Saturday, the only thing that is likely to stop Sri Lanka from getting the better of Zimbabwe is the bad weather. The country is currently experiencing the tailend of the monsoonal showers, according to the Department of Meteorology. Although the sun shone yesterday afternoon, the weather forecast for the next few days is occasional rains accompanied by thunder. CONFIDENT Sri Lanka are confident they can beat Zimbabwe, but at the same time they will also try to rectify the mistakes they did during their last Test series which was in Australia last year. "There was no doubt incidents off the field had a bearing on the way we played. But I am more concerned on why we lost. The two areas we learnt from that tour were, we didn't hold our catches, and our batsmen were quite content with thirties and forties. There were no continuous partnerships going, which is essential in a five-day match,'' said Sri Lanka coach Dav Whatmore, assessing his team's chances against Zimbabwe. "Those were the areas we didn't do well in Australia and we would dearly like to do so in the two Tests against Zimbabwe,'' said Whatmore. He rated Zimbabwe as a better nation in Test cricket than in the shorter game. COMPETITION "I personally don't like taking any team lightly. Any team that walks out into the field against you is a threat, and we have to deal with them in the proper way. Just because 11 players go out there and call themselves Zimbabwe doesn't mean you can relax. We can't perceive them to be any less in providing us with competition than other countries,'' said Whatmore. "We have to go out there and play good positive cricket to establish an advantage. Work on it and try and beat them in four or five days. I am absolutely confident of doing so, because we are playing well at the moment,'' he said. The only change in the Sri Lanka batting line-up will be that Roshan Mahanama will return to open the innings with Sanath Jayasuriya relegating wicket-keeper Romesh Kaluwitharana to the no. 7 spot in the batting. TOSS UP The other foreseeable change is in the slow bowling department. With Ravindra Pushpakumara favoured to share the new ball with Chaminda Vaas, it will be a toss up between the fastish off-breaks of Kumara Dharmasena and the left-arm leg-spin of Jayantha Silva to become off- spinner Muthiah Muralitharan's support bowler. If Silva fails to get selected it will not be for anything, but for his fielding which is still a cause for concern. Zimbabwe are equally confident they can win against Sri Lanka. "Test cricket is a different ball game altogether and we are certain of giving Sri Lanka a good run,'' said Zimbabwe team manager Denis Streak. EXPERIENCE Without the experience of veteran batsman Dave Houghton, Zimbabwe's batting wears an air of vulnerability. Houghton was unavailable due to his commitments with English county side Worcestershire, where he is the coach. "Houghton is our Aravinda de Silva. We will miss him definitely. However, we are grooming Craig Wishart to take his place,'' said Streak. Another player whom the manager saw as a future prospect was the tall off-spinner Andrew Whittall, who is set to make his Test debut. He, along with leg-spinner Paul Strang and fast bowler Heath Streak will form the core of the bowling attack with support from medium-pacer Guy Whittall and the left-arm orthodox deliveries of Grant Flower. Craig Evans who made an attractive unbeaten 96 in the Singer World Series game against India, is the only casualty so far on the tour. He is expected to recover from a twisted ankle suffered during practice. Zimbabwe are sorely short of match practice because of the bad weather. They have not played any cricket since the Singer World Series game against Sri Lanka on September 3. MINNOWS This will be the first Test between the two countries to be played in Sri Lanka. The only occasion they met was in Zimbabwe in 1994 when all three Tests ended in draws. Zimbabwe who are the minnows in Test cricket have played 16 matches so far winning one (against Pakistan), losing 7 and drawing 8. Sri Lanka's Test record stands at 7 wins and 31 losses with 28 draws from 66 Tests. The teams: SRI LANKA (from): A. Ranatunga (captain), R.S. Mahanama, S. T. Jayasuriya, A. P. Gurusinha, P. A. de Silva, H. P. Tillekeratne, R. S. Kaluwitharana, U. C. J. Vaas, K. R. Pushpakumara, M. Muralitharan, H. D. P. K. Dharmasena, K. J. Silva. ZIMBABWE (from): A. D. R. Campbell (captain), G. W. Flower, M. H. Dekker, G. J. Whittall, C. B. Wishart, A. Flower, C. N. Evans, H. H. Streak, P. A. Strang, A. R. Whittall, B. C. Strang, W. R. James, H. H. Olonga, E. A. Brandes, A. H. Shah. UMPIRES: S.A. Bucknor (West Indies) and B. C. Cooray (Sri Lanka), 3rd umpre: K. T. Francis (Sri Lanka), match referee: J. R. Reid (New Zealand). Source:: Daily News (http://www.lanka.net) PRE-MATCH Rediffusion on the Net 10 September 1996 Confident Sri Lankans ready to Test Zimbabwe Rediffusion on the Net A supremely confident Sri Lankan cricket side, fresh from its triumph in the four-nation Singer World Series, now prepares to test its mettle on the Test field when it meets Zimbabwe on Wednesday at the Premadasa Stadium in the first of two Tests. The only factor that could possibly prevent a home win is the weather, with the island nation in the grip of a succession of monsoon downpours. The forecast for the next few days indicates possibility of occasional rain, with thunderstorms predicted for late evening. The Lankans are confident that, weather permitting, they can beat Zimbabwe. The last time the two countries met, in 1994, all three Tests were drawn. Under coach Davenall Whatmore, a Sri Lankan-born Australian cricketer, Sri Lanka has moulded itself into a world champion one-day side. Now it is ready to extend its success into the longer game. "We don't have a problem with losing," said Whatmore, while supervising practise at the nets. "We have a problem with how we win, and how we lose. If the players direct all their energies into every game, do their best, then the opposition has to do better still to beat us. I am absolutely confident that with the way the boys are playing, we will comfortably beat Zimbabwe." Referring to changes in the side, Whatmore indicated that Sanath Jayasuriya will open with Roshan Mahanama, while hard-hitting one-day opener Romesh Kaluwitharana will revert to number seven in the lineup. Fast bowler Ravindra Pushpakumara is tipped to share the new ball with Chaminda Vaas, which means that the only place to be decided in the side will go to either off-spinner Kumara Dharamasena or left-arm spinner Jayantha Silva. The rest of the side that won both the World Cup and the recent Singer Cup select themselves. Zimbabwe, meanwhile, look particularly weak in batting without the experience of David Houghton at the top. "Houghton is our Aravinda D'Silva," said team manager Dennis Streak. "We are grooming Craigh Wishart to take his place, but we will definitely miss Dave against the Lankans." The Zimbabweans had their practise curtailed by bad weather, and have not played since the Singer World Series game against Lanka on September three. The teams: Sri Lanka: (from) Arjuna Ranatunga (captain), Aravinda D'Silva (vice captain), Roshan Mahanama, Sanath Jayasuriya, Asanka Gurusinghe, Hashan Tillakaratne, Romesh Kaluwitharana, Chaminda Vaas, Ravindra Pushpakumara, Muthiah Muralitharan, Kumara Dharamasena and Jayantha Silva. Zimbabwe: (from) Alistair Campbell (captain), Grant Flower, Mark Dekker, Guy Whittal, Craigh Wishart, Andy Flower, Craig Evans, Heath Streak, Paul Strang, Bryan Strang, Andrew Whittall, Henry Olonga, Wayne James, Eddie Brandes and Ali Shah. Source :: Rediffusion on the Net (http://www.redifindia.com/) DAY 1 REPORT - Daily News Honours to Zimbabwe By SA`ADI THAWFEEQ Zimbabwe grabbed the honours on the opening day of the first cricket Test against Sri Lanka when they captured seven wickets for 290 runs at the R. Premadasa Stadium yesterday. Having chosen to bat first on a grassless wicket, Sri Lanka lost both openers for four runs off successive deliveries spread between two overs, before skipper Arjuna Ranatunga and wicket-keeper Romesh Kaluwitharana put together a face-saving stand of 142 in 152 minutes for the sixth wicket. Both batsmen were well in sight of their respective centuries but became victims of the second new ball, taken a few minutes before the close. Fast bowler Heath Streak who had a season with English county Hampshire last year, took the initiative away from Sri Lanka when he dismissed both batsmen within the space of three deliveries of each other. Ranatunga who reached his 24th Test fifty in 146 minutes was trapped in front of the wicket for 75 scored off 120 balls with seven fours. Kaluwitharana went to a bad shot attempting an ambitious pull only to miscue a return catch to the bowler, who accepted it gleefully. Kaluwitharana made 71 in 155 minutes with the aid of a six and 10 fours. He reached his third half-century in Tests by pulling left-arm bowler Grant Flower for his eighth four in 108 minutes. Streak who provided Zimbabwe with the initial breakthrough by trapping Roshan Mahanama lbw in his first over finished the day with 3 for 41 off 17 overs. Sri Lanka got off to the worst possible start when both Mahanama and Sanath Jayasuriya were out in the seventh ball of the innings. Henry Olonga, Zimbabwe`s first coloured cricketer took a wicket with his first ball when Jayasuriya attempting an on drive gave a catch to mid-on off the first delivery he faced. Asanka Gurusinha and Aravinda de Silva restored the innings to some degree with a stand of 49 before the latter attempting a cut off leg-spinner Paul Strang was bowled for 35 scored off 44 balls with six fours. Gurusinha batted cautiously for 197 minutes for 52 before Strang sorted him out by forcing him to miscue a cover drive which eventually finished on Olonga`s hands. He hit six fours. Hashan Tillekeratne promoted in the batting ahead of Ranatunga made 20 in 101 minutes before Olonga took his second wicket by having the batsman edge one to the wicket-keeper. With the pitch expected to assist spin, Sri Lanka have gone into the Test with three spinners - Muralitheran, Dharmasena and Jayantha Silva leaving Chaminda Vaas as the lone fast bowler. Source:: Daily News (http://www.lanka.net) ========================>More..... Ranatunga rescues Sri Lanka By a Special Correspondent in Colombo ARJUNA Ranatunga, the Sri Lanka captain, rescued his side with a valiant 75 against Zimbabwe in the first Test yesterday to leave his side on 290 for seven. Ranatunga, who hit seven fours, and fellow middle-order batsman Romesh Kaluwitharana put on 141 for the sixth wicket after tight Zimbabwean bowling had reduced Sri Lanka to 128 for five. Zimbabwe, however, struck back late on to remove both batsmen, paceman Heath Streak, the first Zimbabwean to play county cricket in England, leading their response. Streak, formerly with Hampshire, had Ranatunga leg-before. Kaluwitharana, who hit 10 boundaries, was caught and bowled by Streak for 71, leaving him with figures of three for 41. Sri Lanka, who won the toss and batted, lost openers Roshan Mahanama and Sanath Jayasuriya with only four runs on the board. Sri Lanka staged a minor recovery to take lunch at 77 for three but slumped again when Olonga removed middle-order batsman Hashan Tillekaratne for 20 and Asanka Gurusinha fell to Strang for 52. Source :: The Electronic Telegraph (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/) Day 1 Report - Rediffusion on the Net 12 Sept 1996 Sri Lanka struggles in longer version of the game Cricket is a game of little ironies and, in the recent past, we can think of none more vivid than this - that Romesh Kaluwitharana, that pocket-sized stick of dynamite that explodes with devastating impact in the limited over version of the game, proved to be pretty much the only Sri Lankan batsman capable of curbing the adrenalin surge that carried the side to success in the world championship and playing the sort of disciplined innings necessary at the Test-match level. Kaluwitharana scored 71 runs before he popped back a chance to Heath Streak. And he did it with his head well down, eschewing the kind of kamikaze play that has made him the nightmare of world class bowlers in the shorter version of the game. And in the process, he partnered his skipper Arjuna Ranatunga in a face-saving partnership of 142 runs that took the Lankan total from a dismal 5/128 to 270 before the next wicket fell. The story of the Sri Lankan innings, on the first day of the first Test against Zimbabwe at the graceless, slow paced Premadasa Stadium was the tale of a team that has, in the past few months, honed its one day skills to such a high degree that it appeared to have some difficulty adjusting to the fact that when stumps are drawn at the end of the day in a Test, it merely signals the end of that day's play, and not the entire match. When Ranatunga took first strike on this wicket, it must have been prompted by the realisation that it could turn in time, providing an advantage to the Lankan spin trio headed by the dangerous Muthaiah Muralitharan. But for that to happen, the Lankans had first to put up a total sufficiently imposing to pressure the visitors. But Mahanama did the side's cause no good when, with both his and the side's score on four in the first over, he played back to a delivery that came in off the seam. Verdict, LBW. Mahanama, apparently, had forgotten his basic opening technique, what with having spent the last six, seven months batting at number seven in the limited over game. At the other end, the new ball was shared by Zimbabwe's first coloured cricketer, Henry Olonga. Ball one, Sanath Jayasuriya flicks off his legs. In a one day context, the stroke would have fetched four. In the Test match situation, sans the mandatory field restrictions, there was a mid-on placed just right to nab the chance. Lanka, seven for two. Aravinda D'Silva, whose run of scores in one-day games beginning with the semifinal of the World Cup would have aroused envy in a Bradman, then joined Asanka Gurusinghe and while the latter, in trademark style, proceeded through the tens and twenties like a stately galleon, D'Silva played a typical innings of 35 off 44 balls with six fours before attempting to cut a straight delivery - the first, incidentally, of leg-spinner Paul Strang. Again, that particular shot, drawing away to make room for the cut, was needless in context, and Sri Lanka, 3/53 at that stage, were in trouble. Arjuna Ranatunga promoted the stylish southpaw Hashan Tillakaratne ahead of himself in the batting order, and Tillakaratne in tandem with Gurusinghe took the score to 105 before a slash off a regulation Olonga delivery just outside off-stump - again, why? - landed in the glove of Andy Flower. Ranatunga then walked out and, in tandem with Gurusinghe, took Lanka to 128 before the latter, in uncharacteristic fashion, had a rush of blood against Strang, to end up caught at midwicket by Olonga for a personal score of 52 with six fours. Ranatunga played with the determination one would expect from a captain at this stage, while Kaluwitharana, without ever moving into fourth gear, yet managed to rattle up 71 with the aid of a six and 10 fours before attempting one of those ambitious pulls of his that are more muscle than science, only to end up top-edging a regulation return catch to Streak. Ranatunga's own vigil ended a run later, with the score 271, in typical Test match fashion - LBW - as against the hara kiri methods favoured by his team-mates, when he failed to keep out a lower one from Streak. Ranatunga had at the time scored a patient 75, and looked set for what would have been a timely century. At the close, Kumara Dharmasena (16 not out) and Chaminda Vaas (3 not out) had taken the score, without further alarums, to 290 for seven. Both Dharmasena and Vaas are accomplished batsmen in their own right, and Ranatunga will be looking to them to take the score as high as it can get in order to give the bowlers a healthy margin to attack against. For Zimbabwe, Test debutant Henry Olonga with 2/46 in 14 overs was the pick, with Heath Streak (3/41 in 17 overs) skimming away the two openers and then providing fine backup. Paul Strang's two wickets, however, came rather expensive at 88 runs off 29 overs, while the likes of Guy Whittall, Andrew Whittall, Craig Evans and Grant Flower were mainly used to ensure the three main bowlers did not get overtired. The mighty Lankan batting machine will not be too pleased to go in at the end of the first day with only 290 runs to show for seven wickets lost - but then, they will have the consolation of knowing that they have only themselves to blame. Copyright 1996 Rediff On The Net All rights reserved Source :: Rediffusion on the Net (http://www.redifindia.com/) ==============================>Day 2 Daily News Day 2 First Test: Sri Lanka vs Zimbabwe: Lanka on top, Zim struggling By SA'ADI THAWFEEQ Sri Lanka had Zimbabwe struggling to save the follow-on by the close of the second day of the first cricket Test having reduced them to 105 for 6 wickets at the R. Premadasa Stadium yesterday. With four wickets intact, Zimbabwe require to reach a total of 150 if they are to prevent Sri Lanka from enforcing the follow-on. After Sri Lanka had been dismissed for 349, left-arm fast bowler Chaminda Vaas put Zimbabwe on the back foot by grabbing three wickets for 31 runs in a spell of 11 overs. Vaas struck with his first ball of the innings inducing Grant Flower to edge a short rising delivery to wicket-keeper Romesh Kaluwitharana for nought. Vaas also sent back skipper Alistair Campbell for 12, caught in the slips by Roshan Mahanama and Mark Dekker for 10 trapped lbw by a delivery that kept low. When Kumara Dharmasena had Andy Flower caught of a rebound for two, Zimbabwe had lost their top four batsmen for 45 runs. Guy Whittall and Craig Wishart put together a fifth wicket stand of 58 before Jayantha Silva had the former missing a drive off the back foot and caught plumb in front of the wicket. Whittall made 39 in a stay of 152 minutes with four fours before departing with the Zimbabwe score on 103. His dismissal was closely followed by that of `nightwatchman' Henry Olonga for one. Tillekeratne held onto an inside edge at leg slip to give Muralitharan his first wicket of the innings. These two wickets fell after rain had delayed the final session for over two hours after tea. Wishart in a valiant effort has so far batted 137 minutes for his unbeaten 31 and he has Craig Evans as his partner on nought. Each of the three Sri Lankan spinners Muralitharan, Dharmasena and Silva have a wicket apiece. Sri Lanka extended their overnight total of 290 for 7 to 349 before being dismissed shortly after the first break for drinks in the first session of play. Kumara Dharmasena and Vaas carried their eighth wicket partnership to worth 74 runs before leg-spinner Paul Strang broke through. Strang bowled Vaas for 34 made in 88 minutes (1 six, 2 fours) as the batsman got an inside edge attempting a drive. Then he cleaned up the tail with a spell of three wickets in four balls without conceding a run, to finish with his best figures in Test cricket - 5 for 106 off 34.3 overs - the first time he had taken five wickets in an innings in his eight-match career. Dharmasena was left undefeated on 42 scored in 99 minutes with four fours. DAY 2: Electronic Telegraph Zimbabwe were struggling on 105 for six in reply to Sri Lanka`s 349 at the close of the second day`s play in the first Test in Colombo. Early in the day, Paul Strang, the leg spinner for Zimbabwe, took three wickets in four balls. The bowler finished with figures of five for 106, his best Test figures. Chaminda Vaas, the Sri Lankan left-arm fast bowler, then took over, taking three for 31 in an 11-over spell. Upali Dharmadasa, the chief executive of the Sri Lankan board, has resigned after accepting the blame for a mix-up at last week`s Singer one-day series. At the closing ceremony Hemaka Amarasuriya, an official from Singer, was called the chief guest instead of Sumanaweera Dissanayake, the Sri Lankan sports minister. Source :: The Electronic Telegraph (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/) REPORT Day 3, Daily News Zimbabwe face uphill task To avoid innings defeat By Sa'adi Thawfeeq Intermittent rain stopped Sri Lanka from making any further inroads into the Zimbabwe second innings when it washed out the final session of the third day in the First Cricket Test played at the R. Premadasa Stadium yesterday. With rain preventing any play in the morning session as well, whatever action that took place for the day was restricted to the afternoon. In that period, Zimbabwe replying to Sri Lanka's first innings total of 349, were dismissed for 145. Forced to follow-on 204 runs in deficit, Zimbabwe had replied with 20 without loss in their second innings when rain forced the players to have an early tea, 25 minutes ahead of the scheduled time. PLAY ABANDONED Play did not resume after the interval as the rain continued, forcing the umpires to abandon play for the day at 4.20 pm. Zimbabwe resuming their first innings at 105 for 6, added only 40 runs to their overnight total in 72 minutes. Only Craig Wishart defied the Sri Lankan pace-cum spin attack to score a resolute half-century. He batted 205 minutes and faced 157 balls hitting one six and two fours. The rest of the Zimbabwe late order succumbed to the spin of Muthiah Muralitharan and Jayantha Silva, after left-arm paceman Chaminda Vaas had provided the initial breakthrough for the day by having Craig Evans caught behind for nine. TWO WICKETS Muralitharan accounted for the wicket of Paul Strang for six and Silva was on a hat-trick when he picked up the last two Zimbabwe wickets off successive deliveries. Left-armer Silva whose only Test appearance was against Australia last year, first had Wishart caught off a drive at mid-off and off the next delivery, bowled after a 10-minute stoppage for rain, had Andrew Whittall caught by Dharmasena at square leg. Silva finished with his best figures in Test cricket 3 for 10 off 14.5 overs, while Muralitharan's two wickets cost him 28 runs off 24 overs. Vaas, not for the first time, was Sri Lanka's leading wicket- taker with 4 for 73, which also included his fiftieth in Test cricket. UPHILL TASK Openers Grant Flower and Mark Dekker survived 30 minutes batting in the second innings, but Zimbabwe face an uphill task of trying to bat out the next two days with rain as their only saviour. Source :: Daily News (http://www.lanka.net) REPORT Day 3, Rediffussion Rain dampens Lanka's victory charge Rain played spoilsport as Sri Lanka, on day three of its Test against Zimbabwe at the Premadasa Stadium in Colombo, attempted to press home the advantage it had gained on the preceeding two days. Zimbabwe, beginning the day on 105 for six, needed a further 45 runs to ensure that the hosts batted again. But then, rain first washed out the entire morning session of play. And when play was resumed in the afternoon and the Lankan bowlers duly ran through the visitor's tail to shoot them out for 145 and enforce the follow-on, rain came again and ensured that the Lankan bowlers were not able to make any further damages to Zimbabwe. In the afternoon session, Zimbabwe duly lost their last four wickets for the addition of 40 runs, Craigh Wishart ploughing a lonely furrow to top score for his side with 51 before presenting Jayanta Silva his second wicket on debut, caught by Chaminda Vaas. The rest caved in to the bowling of Vaas (4/73), Silva (3/10 off 14.5 overs nine of which were maidens) and Muralitharan (2/28). Following on, Zimbabwe openers Grant Flower and Mark Dekker took the score to 20 for no loss off 8.1 overs before the rain came down again. No further day was possible, and Lanka now have two days to either bowl out the tourists under 204 and secure an innings victory, or leave their batsmen sufficient time to hit up whatever runs are required for a win. A tall task, but given the increasing spin-friendliness of the pitch and the fact that none of the Zimbabwe batsmen looked comfortable against the three pronged spin attack of Dharmasena, Jayantha Silva and Muralitharan, not beyond the bounds of possibility. Of course, weather permitting... Copyright 1996 Rediff On The Net All rights reserved Source :: Rediffusion on the Net (http://www.redifindia.com/) ============================>More Test Match: Wishart holds up Sri Lanka By a Special Correspondent in Colombo RAIN frustrated Sri Lanka in their efforts to press on towards an innings victory over Zimbabwe on the third day of the first Test. Play was possible only in the afternoon session, during which Zimbabwe, resuming at 105 for six in reply to Sri Lanka`s first- innings total of 349, were dismissed for 145. They were 20 without loss in their second innings when rain returned to wash out play for the day. Only Craig Wishart defied Sri Lanka`s varied pace and spin attack for any length of time, scoring a resolute 51, with a six and two fours, in a painstaking 157-ball innings. The rest of the Zimbabwe late order succumbed to the accurate off spin of Muthiah Muralitharan (two for 28) and slow left-armer Jayantha Silva, who returned a Test best of three for 10 in 14.4 overs. Left-arm paceman Chaminda Vaas had provided the initial breakthrough, having Craig Evans caught behind attempting to hook. Vaas was Sri Lanka`s leading wicket-taker with four for 73, including his 50th wicket in only his 13th Test. Source :: The Electronic Telegraph (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/) DAY 4 Report Daily News Zimbabweans had no answer to the dual spin attack `Murali' and Jayantha Silva spin Sri Lanka to innings win By Ranjan Anandappa Spin duo Muthiah Muralitharan (5 for 33) and Jayantha Silva (4 for 25) in twin harness put the Zimbabweans to the sword to give Sri Lanka their eighth win in Test cricket and the first-ever innings victory. Sri Lanka beat Zimbabwe by an innings and 77 runs with more than a day to spare in their first Test at the R. Premadasa Stadium, Khettarama yesterday. On a pitch responding to spin, off-spinner Muralitharan and left-armer Jayantha Silva tied the Zimbabweans into terrible tangles, sharing 9 of the second innings wickets. Sri Lanka had to fight hard against the weather pattern rather than the Zimbabweans who would have hoped for the weather gods to come to their rescue to get them out of the woods. Play was possible only at 12.35 p.m. and 71 overs and 230 minutes were available for the Sri Lankans to get the Zimbabweans out when they resumed their overnight score of 20 for no loss. Facing the difficult proposition of making 204 runs to make the Sri Lankans bat for the second time and with one and a half days still remaining none of their batsmen really established themselves to play an innings with real substance. The Zimbabwe resistance crumbled once again amidst a fine spin bowling combination backed up by enthusiastic fielding. The Zimbabweans chose to play from their crease, instead of using their feet and paid dearly. Only during the latter stages of the match the batsmen showed any intention of leaving their crease to meet the bowling . But by that time the writing was on the wall for the Zimbabweans. A brief stand between Alistair Campbell, the skipper and Guy Whittall who consumed 103 minutes in an intense act of defiance for 33 runs added some spark in the gloomy Zimbabwe innings. Once Campbell was caught by Mahanama off Muralitharan in the slips for 28, facing 133 balls, Zimbabwe's resistance again crumbled and the rest promptly staggered for 127 . The Zimbabweans lost their last five wickets for 29 runs. Muralitharan initiated the slide taking the wickets of the Flower brothers Grant and Andy in consecutive deliveries. Grant, the senior opener, was bowled and Andy was caught by Mahanama off Muralitharan who was in line for a hat-trick. Muralitharan who took the wickets in the fifth and sixth balls saw Alistair Campbell playing down the first ball of his next over to prevent the bowler from performing the hat-trick. Source :: Daily News (http://www.lanka.net) Contributed by The Management (help@cricinfo.com)