Sports / Cricket
Zimbabwe makes history in Sri Lanka
30 Jun 2017 at 08:59hrs | Views
Sri Lanka 316/5 (50.0 ov)
Zimbabwe 322/4 (47.4 ov)
Zimbabwe won by 6 wickets (with 14 balls remaining)
This is the highest successful chase ever in Sri Lanka, in 296 ODIs. How's that for a record? The heroes? Solomon Mire, who set the pace. Sean Williams who carried on to bring the chase within a 100 runs, and Sikandar Raza for ensuring the good work done by those two didn't go to waste. How easy have they made it look? Worrying signs for Sri Lanka. The bowling was toothless. The fielding? Well, it wasn't any better. This is also the first time Zimbabwe have beaten Sri Lanka in Sri Lanka. Surely it merits a big party tonight!
A belligerent 112 from Solomon Mire set Zimbabwe on track, Sean Williams' 65 provided stability, and Sikandar Raza's sparkling 67 not out laid out the finishing touches as a fearless Zimbabwe ran down Sri Lanka's score of 316 to make history in Galle.
Not only was this Zimbabwe's first ODI victory against Sri Lanka on the island, it was also the first time any team successfully pursued a score in excess of 300. In the end, the chase seemed virtually nerveless. Raza and Malcolm Waller accelerated through the final overs to reach the target with the only six of the innings, with 14 balls to spare and six wickets in hand.
Nothing Sri Lanka tried in the back half of the innings worked. Angelo Mathews tried switching his bowlers haphazardly, bringing his wicket-takers back early, and bowled seven men in the innings, but none could shake Zimbabwe's resolve.
As ever, dropped catches will haunt Sri Lanka. Mire was dropped on 17 and 94 - the first of those a difficult opportunity to the wicketkeeper, but the second a straightforward chance to Lasith Malinga, who made a mess of an overhead catch from short fine leg. Williams was also dropped on 13 by Danushka Gunathilaka at point. Had that chance been taken, Williams and Mire would only have had 37 together. Instead, their third-wicket stand of 161 off 133 balls would form the spine of Zimbabwe's rousing victory.
Zimbabwe 322/4 (47.4 ov)
Zimbabwe won by 6 wickets (with 14 balls remaining)
This is the highest successful chase ever in Sri Lanka, in 296 ODIs. How's that for a record? The heroes? Solomon Mire, who set the pace. Sean Williams who carried on to bring the chase within a 100 runs, and Sikandar Raza for ensuring the good work done by those two didn't go to waste. How easy have they made it look? Worrying signs for Sri Lanka. The bowling was toothless. The fielding? Well, it wasn't any better. This is also the first time Zimbabwe have beaten Sri Lanka in Sri Lanka. Surely it merits a big party tonight!
A belligerent 112 from Solomon Mire set Zimbabwe on track, Sean Williams' 65 provided stability, and Sikandar Raza's sparkling 67 not out laid out the finishing touches as a fearless Zimbabwe ran down Sri Lanka's score of 316 to make history in Galle.
Nothing Sri Lanka tried in the back half of the innings worked. Angelo Mathews tried switching his bowlers haphazardly, bringing his wicket-takers back early, and bowled seven men in the innings, but none could shake Zimbabwe's resolve.
As ever, dropped catches will haunt Sri Lanka. Mire was dropped on 17 and 94 - the first of those a difficult opportunity to the wicketkeeper, but the second a straightforward chance to Lasith Malinga, who made a mess of an overhead catch from short fine leg. Williams was also dropped on 13 by Danushka Gunathilaka at point. Had that chance been taken, Williams and Mire would only have had 37 together. Instead, their third-wicket stand of 161 off 133 balls would form the spine of Zimbabwe's rousing victory.
Source - CricInfo
