Zimbabwe level series in rain interrupted game

Zimbabwe managed to scrape through to a 4-wicket win (Duckworth & Lewis method) against Sri Lanka in the rain-interrupted 4^th ODI match at Mahinda Rajapaksha International Cricket Stadium in Sooriyawewa, Hambanthota on Sunday.

Niroshan Dickwella’s second consecutive century helped Sri Lanka post 300 after opting to bat first but Zimbabwe chased down the revised target of 219 with 10 balls to spare. Craig Ervine led the run chase with a fine, unbeaten 69 off 55 balls as the hosts failed to defend a substantial score on a belter of a surface.

With this win, the five-match series between the 8^th ranked hosts and 11^th ranked visitors is levelled on 2-2 with the final game scheduled on 10^th July (Monday) at the same venue.

Chasing 300 -That Mammoth Maneuver

Mire then cracked three boundaries off Fernando’s second over as the visitors cruised to 67 before leg-spinner Wanindu Hasaranga deceived Masakadza with a googly which rattled the stumps to break the opening stand. Hasaranga then picked up the all-important scalp of Mire after a juicy full toss was hit straight to short fine-leg.

Tarisai Musakanda and Craig Ervine added 46 runs for the 3^rd wicket at 7.26 to put the visitors in front before the former was caught behind when he tried to run the ball down to third-man off Dushmantha Chameera minutes before the rain intervention.

The game commenced with a revised target of 219 in 31 overs and Sean Williams was stumped off Asela Gunarathne and Hasaranga took a brilliant return catch to dismiss Sikandar Raza but Ervine swept, reverse-swept and played through the line to take Zimbabwe home.

Photo Album – Sri Lanka v Zimbabwe| 4th ODI

Earlier, Dickwella became the 8^th Sri Lankan to score back-to-back centuries and constructed a solid 209-run partnership with Danushka Gunathilaka who struck 87 as they made a world record by becoming the first pair in ODI history to score back-to-back double century stands. Both left-handers continued their stellar batting form from the previous game where they made centuries in a winning cause.

Dickwella maneuvered the field excellently scoring both sides of the field in a classic, exquisite batting display. The former Trinity College reached his half-century off 47 deliveries while Gunathilaka played the second fiddle throughout the stand and maintained a cautious approach.

Both openers were dropped after they set the world record and Gunathilaka had a perfect opportunity to register his 2^nd century but he couldn’t put away the part-time off-spinner Malcolm Waller’s long hop as the stumps were rattled.

Dickwella was then caught plumb in front when he tried to paddle-sweep Waller on 116. Upul Tharanga, Asela Gunarathne and Kusal Mendis lost their wickets while attempting to regain the lost momentum whereas Mathews who promoted himself to number three played a 42-run cameo to take Sri Lanka to the 300-run mark

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