Published: Jul 18, 2017, 12:37 PM (IST)
Edited: Jul 18, 2017, 12:37 PM (IST)
Niroshan Dickwella and Asela Gunaratne kept Sri Lanka‘s hopes alive as they put up a 67-run unbeaten partnership at lunch of Day Five of the only Test against Zimbabwe at Colombo. Sri Lanka, on Day Four, did a decent job to put up 170 for 3 chasing the 387-run target posted by the visitors. On the fifth Day, it was a half-century from Dickwella that kept the hosts in hunt, putting up 270 for 5 before lunch despite losing a couple of crucial wickets in the morning. Dickwella remained unbeaten at 56 with Gunaratne at 26 as the two teams take lunch. Live cricket scorecard: Sri Lanka vs Zimbabwe, One-off Test
With Angelo Mathews and Kusal Mendis continuing to bat on Day Five, Zimbabwe skipper put Sean Williams and himself to bowl. The two batsmen started the day slow and steady but the partnership was broken soon in the morning as Cremer got a set Mendis for 66. It was rather a poorly executed sweep by the batsman than the brilliance in the full-length delivery that got the edge off Mendis’ bat. Dickwella came out next and got himself set at the crease with Mathews at the other end. Dickwella did not let the pressure of runs build on Sri Lanka, picking out gaps and hitting boundaries from the very start of his inning.
Mathews departed for 25 next. He tried playing a straight drive off a fuller delivery but ended up giving a catch back to the bowler, Cremer. This wicket brought two fresh batsmen at the crease. However, both Gunaratne and Dickwella displayed great defensive skills and virtue of patience that resulted in the first stable partnership of the day. Sri Lanka scored exactly 100 runs in the session, losing 2 wickets.
For Zimbabwe, skipper Cremer was at his usual best with 4 wickets in this innings, two of which came this morning. He has 9 wickets now from the match.
Brief scores
Zimbabwe 356 and 377 (Sikandar Raza 127, Peter Moor 40, Malcolm Waller 68, Graeme Cremer 48; Rangana Herath 6 for 133, Dilruwan Perera 3 for 95) lead Sri Lanka 346 and 270 for 5 (Dimuth Karunaratne 49, Kusal Mendis 60, Niroshan Dickwella 56* ; Graeme Cremer 4 for 98, Sean Williams 1 for 94) by 118 runs.
