By CricketCountry Staff
Sri Lankan bowlers hit back after a century opening stand between Brendan Taylor and Regis Chakabva in their World Cup Group A match against Zimbabwe at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium in Kandy on Thursday.
Published: Mar 10, 2011, 07:34 PM (IST)
Edited: Mar 10, 2011, 07:34 PM (IST)
Brendan Taylor gives Zimbabwe a solid opening stand against Sri Lanka
By CricketCountry Staff
Kandy: Mar 10, 2011
Sri Lankan bowlers hit back after a century opening stand between Brendan Taylor and Regis Chakabva in their World Cup Group A match against Zimbabwe at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium in Kandy on Thursday.
Veteran spin wizard Muttiah Muralitharan, playing his last international game at Kandy, orchestrated Sri Lanka’s fightback. He produced a doosra to disturb the off-stump off Chakabva for 32 after he and Taylor raised a 116-run opening stand.
Angelo Mathews thrived at the sight of a new batsman coming to the wicket and soon snuffed out Tatenda Taibu for a duck before giving his side the most crucial breakthrough, dismissing the well-set Brendan Taylor for 80.
Tillakaratne Dilshan, fresh from his a rollicking century earlier on, struck with the ball – getting rid off Prosper Utseya, Craig Ervine and Greg Lamb to have Zimbabwe on the mat.
This was after Zimbabwe raised a strong opening stand in pursuit of Sri Lanka’s imposing score of 327 for 6, largely made possible because of Brendan Taylor’s strokeful half-century.
The right-hander paced his innings nicely, exercising caution against the good balls and not missing out on an opportunity of punishing the loose ones.
He brought up his fifty with a single off Nuwan Kulasekera. His fifty came off 39 balls, studded with seven fours and one six over mid-wicket of Thisara Perera.
Taylor oozed positive intent from the word go, neatly clipping a Lasith Malinga full toss to the square-leg fence in the first over of the match.
He was lucky to survive a loud lbw shout against Nuwan Kulasekera off the next over but appeared confident against the pace of Malinga.
Taylor pierced the cover region off Malinga to pick up his second boundary in the bowler’s third over before going on to steer a short ball over the wicket-keeper’s head to the third-man region much to the frustration of the Sri Lankan speed merchant.
Earlier, Sri Lanka rode on centuries from Tillakaratne Dilshan and Upul Tharanga to post a score of 327 for 6 in 50 overs.
Brief Scores: Sri Lanka 327 for 6 in 50 overs (Tillakaratne Dilshan 144, Upul Tharanga 133; Chris Mpofu 4 for 62, Ray Price 1 for 46, Prosper Utseya 1 for 50) vs Zimbabwe 156 for 6 in 30 overs (Brendan Taylor 80*; Tillakaratne Dilshan 3 for 4, Angelo Mathews 2 for 29, Muttiah Muralitharan 1 for 27).
Pictures © Getty Images
