COLOMBO, January 17: Aravinda de Silva anchored Sri Lanka's second innings after the Zimbabwe bowlers tore through the top half on the penultimate day of the second and final Test here today.De Silva (batting 87) stood solid as a rock against the Zimbabwe bowling, cracking one six and 11 fours in his 254-minute innings to help Sri Lanka finish at a respectable 209-5 with hopes of possible victory tomorrow.
Zimbabwe had set Sri Lanka a winning target of 326 when they were all out for 299 in the second innings earlier in the day with Andy Flower completing a dogged century, his first against Sri Lanka and his fourth in 26 Tests.
Zimbabwe fast bowler Heath Streak rocked Lanka early, claiming 3-27 in just eight overs to leave the home side in tatters before de Silva and captain Arjuna Ranatunga, (29 batting) stemmed the rot.
SCOREBOARD
Zimbabwe (1st innings): 251
Sri Lanka (1st innings): 225
Zimbabwe (2nd innings) (overnight 241-6): G Rennie c Kaluwitharana b de Silva 12, G Flower b
Jayasuriya 52, A Whittall c Tillekeratne b de Silva 2, M Goodwin b Jayasuriya 39, G Whittall c sub (M Jayawardena) b Muralitharan 17, A Flower not out 105, A Campbell c Kaluwitharana b Anurasiri 37, C Wishart c Kaluwitharana b Pushpakumara 18, P Strang b Muralitharan 3, H Streak run out 1, M Mbangwa c de Silva b Muralitharan 4; Extras: (lb6, w1, nb2) 9. Total: (all out in 125.5 overs) 299
Fall of wickets: 1-22, 2-34, 3-104, 4-117, 5-129, 6-204, 7-267, 8-284, 9-286.
Bowling: Pushpakumara 17-2-54-1, de Silva 23-4-61-2, Muralitharan 37.5-9-73-3, Anurasiri 19-7-41-1, Jayasuriya 29-9-64-2
Sri Lanka (2nd innings): S Jayasuriya c A Flower b Streak 68, M Atapattu c A Flower b Streak 0, R Mahanama lbw b Mbangwa 0, A de Silva batting 87, H Tillekeratne lbw b Streak 0, R Kaluwitharana c Campbell b Streak 4, A Ranatunga batting 29; Extras (b11, lb10) 21. Total (for five wickets in 77 overs) 209
Fall of wickets: 1-1, 2-10, 3-115, 4-115, 5-137
Bowling: Streak 15-4-58-4, Mbangwa
10-4-25-1, A Whittall 25-6-56-0, Strang 12-1-48-0, G Whittall 2-1-1-0
Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.
