Sri Lanka's bowler Lahiru Kumara (L) eyes the ball as umpire Marais Erasmus (R) looks on during the fourth day of the first Test cricket match played between Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka at the Harare Sports Club in Harare on January 22, 2020. (Photo by Jekesai NJIKIZANA / AFP)
Lahiru Kumara picked up 3 crucial wickets in the last session of the 1st Test between Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka to pave the way for a comprehensive, 10-wicket win for the visitors.
Kumara bowled with venom in the final session of play at Harare and proved too hot to handle for the Zimbabwean lower order as the young speedster captured the wickets of Donald Tiripano, Kyle Jarvis and Ainsley Ndlovu. Kumara’s pace was just what the doctor ordered for the visitors as the threat of a draw loomed with the likes of Regis Chakabva digging in.
Earlier in the day it was Suranga Lakmal who gave Sri Lanka the perfect start , picking up Prince Masvaure in the 2nd over of the day as he got the left-hander to nick behind to Niroshan Dickwella. Things only got better for Sri Lanka’s premier fast bowler as he sent the other opener, concussion substitute Brian Mudzinganyama, in his very next over. Mudzinganyama shouldered arms to a straight delivery and was caught LBW as Zimbabwe slipped to 36/2. His 3rd over saw another dismissal, once again a left hander, as Craig Ervine failed to keep a flick on the legside down, giving Dimuth Karunaratne a simple catch.
Sri Lanka had the upper hand but Brendan Taylor and skipper Sean Williams came together to add 79 runs for the 4th wicket, more importantly eating up 22 overs of the 90 scheduled for the day. The Sri Lankan attack was looking ineffective but the lunch break did the trick for them as Lakmal once again came back into the attack to pick up another wicket – that of Taylor. Williams followed soon after, nicking behind to Kasun Rajitha and when Sikanda Raza fell just before the tea break, stumped off the bowling of Lasith Embuldeniya, a draw looked a faraway dream for the hosts.
Chakabva kept their hopes alive after lunch but his 142-ball 26 was not enough to keep Sri Lanka at bay as he was the last man to fall, setting Sri Lanka a target of 14 to win. The Sri Lankan openers wasted no time in getting there to give Sri Lanka a 1-0 lead in the series going into the 2nd Test match that begins on the 27th.
Result
Sri Lanka
515/9 (176.2) & 14/0 (3)
Zimbabwe
358/10 (148) & 170/10 (92)
Batsmen
R
B
4s
6s
SR
Prince Masvaure
c Dimuth Karunaratne b Lasith Embuldeniya
55
149
7
0
36.91
Kevin Kasuza
lbw b Lahiru Kumara
63
214
5
1
29.44
Craig Ervine
b Suranga Lakmal
85
187
5
3
45.45
Brendan Taylor
lbw b Suranga Lakmal
21
47
1
1
44.68
Sean Williams
c Niroshan Dickwella b Lasith Embuldeniya
18
46
1
1
39.13
Sikandar Raza
st Niroshan Dickwella b Lasith Embuldeniya
41
65
6
0
63.08
Regis Chakabva
c Angelo Mathews b Lasith Embuldeniya
8
20
1
0
40.00
Donald Tiripano
not out
44
103
3
0
42.72
Kyle Jarvis
b Lasith Embuldeniya
1
5
0
0
20.00
Ainsley Ndlovu
c Kusal Mendis b Lahiru Kumara
5
25
1
0
20.00
Victor Nyauchi
c Lakshan Sandakan b Suranga Lakmal
11
29
1
0
37.93
Extras
6 (b 0 , lb 4 , nb 2, w 0, pen 0)
Total
358/10 (148 Overs, RR: 2.42)
Fall of Wickets
1-96 (50.1) Prince Masvaure, 2-164 (75.3) Kevin Kasuza, 3-208 (91.5) Brendan Taylor, 4-247 (106.3) Sean Williams, 5-247 (107.2) Craig Ervine, 6-266 (114.2) Regis Chakabva, 7-307 (128.4) Sikandar Raza, 8-309 (130.1) Kyle Jarvis, 9-328 (139.1) Ainsley Ndlovu, 10-358 (147.6) Victor Nyauchi,
