FRIDAY, 4.30PM:
SRI Lankan spinning pair Muttiah Murilitharan and Jayanatha Silva on Friday ripped apart the Zimbabwe batting in the first Test, keeping the visitors to a paltry 140 runs.
This leaves the Zimbabweans with a deficit total of 329 runs.
The woes of the Zimbabweans did not end, however, and at the close of play they were reeling at 71/2 in their second innings, after being asked to follow on by Sri Lankan Captain Arjuna Ranatunga.
Zimbabwe require 258 runs to make Sri Lanka pick up the willow again.
FRIDAY, 10.30AM:
ZIMBABWE went in for lunch at 66 for 3 in reply to Sri Lanka’s 469 for 9 declared on the third day of the first cricket Test on Friday.
Overnight batsman Andy Flower was dismissed for eight runs, trapped leg-before on the back-foot to paceman Chaminda Vaas in the second over of the morning, after Zimbabwe resumed from 46 for 2. The day’s play got off to a delayed start with 45 minutes lost due to wet conditions resulting from overnight rain.
Opener Gavin Rennie was unbeaten on 35 at the interval after surviving with his score on 34 when wicket-keeper Romesh Kaluwitharana missed a catch off paceman Ravindra Pushpakumara Rennie also had a narrow shave at the non-striker’s end when a throw from Aravinda de Silva at mid-on hit the stumps, but the third umpire ruled the batsman not out based on the television replay.
Skipper Alistair Campbell was unbeaten on six runs made in 68 minutes of batting.
The scoreboard at the end of the third day’s play of the first cricket Test between Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe at the Asgiriya Stadium in Kandy on Friday.
Sri Lanka (first innings)= 469 for 9 declared (Marvan Atapattu 223, Aravinda de Silva 75, Paul Strang 3 for 123, Andrew Whittal 3 for 73)
Zimbabwe (first innings)
Gavin Rennie c Aravinda. de Silva b Jayantha Silva 53
Grant Flower b Muthiah Muralitheran 04
Murray Goodwin lbw Jayantha Silva 02
Andrew Flower lbw b Chaminda Vaas 08
Alistair Campbell c Roshan Mahanama b Ravindra Pushpakumara 07
Craig Wishart c Mahanama b Muralitheran 03
Paul Strang c A. de Silva b Muralitheran 35
Heath Streak b Muralitheran 05
Andrew Whittal not out 06
Bryan Strang b Muralitheran 02
Adam Huckle lbw Jayantha Silva 00
Extras (b-6, lb-2, nb-B7) 15
Total (all out) 140
Fall of wickets: 1/29, 2/36, 3/46, 4/72, 5/75, 6/119, 7/127, 8/134 and 9/136.
Bowling: Chaminda Vaas 17-4-36-1(nb3) Ravindra Pushpakumara 14-5-34-1-(nbB3) Muttiah Muralitheran 29-18-23-5(nb1) Jayantha Silva 19.4-9-27-3 Aravinda de Silva 5-0-12-0 Sanath Jayasuriya 1-1-0-0
Zimbabwe (second innings):
Gavin Rennie lbw b Muralitheran 24
Grant Flower b A. De Silva 38
Murray Goodwin not out 01
Andrew Whittal not out 02
Extras (b1, lb5) 06
Total (for two wickets) 71
Fall- 1/68, 2/69.
Bowling: Chaminda Vaas 6-1-13-0 Ravindra Pushpakumara 5-0-22-0 Muttiah Muralitheran 7-4-11-1 Aravinda de Silva 8-3-17-1 Jayantha Silva 2-1-2-0.
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