Sri Lanka in Zimbabwe ODI Series

[Ljp86]

Game One of this game is well underway and as you'd expect, Sri Lanka are going to cruise to victory. However, games involving Zimbabwe never seen to get boring and this is one of them.

I'll just post the Zimbabwe scorecard for you

Zimbabwe Innings

                                             R   B  4s  6s   SR  

 H Masakadza    run out (Tharanga)          15  32  3  0  46.87  
 V Sibanda      c Kapugedera b Kulasekara    9  24  2  0  37.50  
 CJ Chibhabha   c Kulasekara b Maharoof     25  35  2  0  71.42  
 T Taibu                      not out       36  58  2  0  62.06  
 S Matsikenyeri              b Muralitharan 21  20  0  1 105.00  
 E Chigumbura            lbw b Muralitharan  0   1  0  0   0.00  
 T Maruma       c Kapugedera b Muralitharan  0   4  0  0   0.00  
 P Utseya              lbw b Mendis          0   1  0  0   0.00  
 RW Price      st Sangakkara b Mendis        0   4  0  0   0.00  
 T Mupariwa     c Tharanga b Muralitharan    0   4  0  0   0.00  
 CB Mpofu                  b Mendis          0   3  0  0   0.00  
     
Extras (b 4, lb 4, w 13) 21      
       
     
Total (all out; 31 overs) 127 

Fall of wickets: 1-28 (Sibanda, 7.5 ov), 2-40 (Masakadza, 10.6 ov), 3-83 (Chibhabha, 21.1 ov), 
4-124 (Matsikenyeri, 27.1 ov), 5-124 (Chigumbura, 27.2 ov), 6-124 (Maruma, 27.6 ov), 
7-125 (Utseya, 28.2 ov), 8-125 (Price, 28.6 ov), 9-126 (Mupariwa, 29.5 ov), 10-127 (Mpofu, 30.6 ov)

Yes, this isn't a figment of your imagination. Zimbabwe lost their last seven wickets for three runs in 23 balls. Amazingly, the last six batters all scored ducks.

Murali took 4/14, Mendis 3/26 with Kulasekara and Maharoof the other two wickets.

Sri Lanka 1/31 in reply, Udawatte on 22 not out thus far.

Quite unbelievable really.

[Ljp86]

Sri Lanka cruised to victory, they made it to 4/130 with exactly 100 balls remaining. Kumar Sangakkara top scored with 46 not out, Udawatte made 38.

Easy win to Sri Lanka. Zimbabwe were holding their own until that terrible batting collapse, 7/3 is just deplorable.

Murali was Man of the Match. Game Two is on Saturday.

[Ripping-LegBreak]

i think lanka is being too harsh on zimbabwe by playing their major players like Mendis and Murali who just blow away the zimbabwaens, i think Lanka should test their other inexperienced players out, It will make the series more interesting.

[Ljp86]

Another pathetic effort from Zimbabwe, all out for 67 from 31 overs. Tatenda Taibu top scored with 12, Stuart Matsekenyeri and Sean Williams were the only other batters in double figures, with both scoring 10. Extras combined for equal top score also.

Ajantha Medis took 4/25, Farveez Maharoof snared 3/26 in what is proving to be a "improve your figures" tour so far.

Sri Lanka are 0/17 in the 7th over in reply. Pitch may not be the best for batting but is not as bad as what Zimbabwe demonstrated.

Originally Posted by Ripping-LegBreak

i think lanka is being too harsh on zimbabwe by playing their major players like Mendis and Murali who just blow away the zimbabwaens, i think Lanka should test their other inexperienced players out, It will make the series more interesting.

I don't think it would make much difference. Today's effort by the Zimbabweans has just been inept to be honest. Mendis' first over was the 16th of the innings and by then Zimbabwe were already 4/34. Muralitharan didn't take a wicket today and only bowled three overs in total so they're already struggling against a second-string pace attack and Sri Lanka's second choice spinner.

Zimbabwe will struggled to break 150 if they keep batting like this. 200 is a long way off at this point.

[Ljp86]

Tawanda Mupariwa picks up the first wicket, Udawatte drives at a juicy one outside off but gets an edge and Masakadza makes no mistake at first slip.

1/19 in the 8th over.

[Ljp86]

All over. Started to rain shortly after the lunch break so the Lankans have finished this one off as quick as they can, they've reached 1/71 in the 18th over giving them victory by nine wickets with a massive 191 balls remaining.

Tharanga made 26 not out with Sangakkara scoring a brisk 28 from only 25 balls faced.

Zimbabwe will be very disappointed with their batting effort, very undisciplined and it showed with only three batters scoring double figures and Extras equalling the top score. Today's effort was the 14th lowest score in an ODI match, they of course hold the record for the lowest score in an ODI, that figure being 35 which was set against Sri Lanka in fact at this very ground in 2004.

Ajantha Mendis was Man of the Match.

Game Three is on Monday beginning at 9:30am local time (7:30am GMT).

[ArShad]

Boring series , there is no fightback from Zimbabwe team , Zimbabwe should better play with Ireland or Holland..

[Jolldo87]

Zimbabwe are doing well in game 3.

Sri Lanka are 3/52 of 11 overs.

The game has been reduced to 28 overs per side which will suit Zimbabwe's pathetic batting.

[Ljp86]

Hard to believe, but this was actually a good game! Sri Lanka scored 7/171 from their 28 overs, Sangakkara made 57, Tharanga 29 and Kapugedera 28 to rescue Sri Lanka from a precarious 3/51.

Tawanda Mupariwa bowled superbyly again taking 4/39 with Elton Chigumbura taking 3/37.

In reply, Zimbabwe gained the upper hand pretty quickly wqith Hamilton Masakadza, Vusi Sibanda and Tatenda Taibu all getting amogst the runs. Zimbabwe looked to be in complete control when Msakadza fell making the score 2/134. Once again though, Ajantha Mendis joined the fold, taking two crucial wickets and when Nuwan Kulasekara snapped up the wicket of Taibu for 31, Zimbabwe needed 21 from two overs.

However, there was another twist with Stuart Matsikenyeri smashing Mendis for ten runs off the first two balls to make the equation 11 runs from ten balls. The rest of the over cost only one run and claimed the wicket of Chamu Chibhabha.

So, 10 needed off the last over to be bowled by Murali. The first ball was a wicket, that of Stuart Matsikenyeri which swung the game back towards Sri Lanka again. And that's where it stayed as the Zimbabwe tailenders couldn't get Murali away.

In the end, Zimbabwe reached 7/166, falling short by only five runs. Masakadza scored 77, Taibu 31 and Sibanda 25 in a much improved effort.

Muralitharan, Mendis and Thushara all took two wickets with Kulasekara taking one.

Masakadza was Man of the Match for his innings of 77. Game Four is on Friday.

[Jolldo87]

So close for Zimbabwe. Disappointing they couldn't win but at the same time at least they made it a contest.