Sri Lanka were 122 for the loss of 2 wickets that of both openers in reply to Zimbabwe’s first innings total of 406 runs all out at the close of play on the second day of the second test match at the Harare Sports Club grounds on Tuesday. Both Skipper Dimuth Karunaratne and Oshada Fernando made 44 runs apiece having posted 94 runs and enjoyed a wicket less post lunch session of 74 runs. It was a steady start to the Lankan innings in pursuit of the tall Zimbabwean total after the hosts had added a further 54 runs to their overnight score of 352 for 6 wickets.
At the wickets were Kusal Mendis on 19 off 47 balls having hit a boundary and a six, and first innings centurion Angelo Mathews on a sedate watchful 37-ball 4. Karunaratne was the first to depart when he was trapped leg before wicket by Sikandar Raza with the total on 94 and 6.4 overs later by the 44th over Fernando fell to Tripando offering a catch to Chakabva making it 104 for 2. The quick succession of two wickets did have a toll on what had been a solid start to the Sri Lanka innings with the third wicket pair of Mendis and Mathews who were instrumental in building the solid match winning foundation in the first test.
Zimbabwe’s first innings ended with the last four wickets adding 54 runs with off spinner Lasith Embuldeniya finishing with 4 for 182, but the tidiest figures returned by strike bowler Suranga Lakmal with 2 for 37 followed by Dhananjaya de Silva 3 for 71.
CHIEF SCORES:
Zimbabwe 1st Innings 352/6 overnight, 406 All out (115.3 Overs) Run rate: 3.51
(L. Embuldeniya 4/182, D.M. de Silva 3/71,R.A.S. Lakmal 2/37)
Sri Lanka 122/2 (54 Overs) Run rate: 2.25
(F.D.M. Karunaratne 44, B.O.P. Fernando 44, B.K.G. Mendis n.o. 19, A.D. Mathews n.o. 4, D.T. Tripano 1/5, Sikander Raza 1/39)
By Srian Obeyesekere
-The opinions expressed here are the views of the writer and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of Sri Lanka Cricket-
