Match report Zimbabwe v Sri Lanka 2003/04 1st Test 2nd day by John Ward

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Scorecard:

Zimbabwe v Sri Lanka

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Overnight: Sri Lanka 67/0 in 16 overs (Atapattu 21*, Jayasuriya 43*)
Lunch: Sri Lanka 230/0 in 44 overs (Atapattu 100*, Jayasuriya 123*)
Tea: Sri Lanka 354/2 off 75 overs (Atapattu 149*, D P M D Jayawardene 30*)
Close: Sri Lanka 456/7 off 106 overs (Vaas 28*, Maharoof 16*)

 

Overall the second day’s play went much as expected, with Sri Lanka piling up a big total against Zimbabwe, but with a minor twist, namely the breakthr ough the Zimbabwe bowlers made in the Sri Lankan middle order with the second new ball. Openers Sanath Jayasuriya and Marvan Atapattu shared an opening partnership of 281, both recording individual scores in excess of 150.

 

The first incident of the day was Jayasuriya’s fifty, which came off 56 balls, but he never appeared to be doing any more than cruising against bowling that was quite accurate but rarely testing. Atapattu was scoring more freely than the previous evening and was obviously setting out his stall for a major innings – another double-century? The century partnership came up, the first by an opening pair for Sri Lanka against Zimbabwe.

 

He was the least likely of the batsmen to be bored by innocuous bowling, but his effort was nearly cut short as, on 43, he survived a hard return catch to Tinashe Panyangara. Shortly after that, he ran to his fifty off 102 balls. At this stage, Jayasuriya showed signs of boredom, trying to force the pace and getting away with a couple of airy shots that just avoided the fielders.

 

Mluleki Nkala was the one bowler who failed to maintain a reasonable line and length, and Jayasuriya climbed into him, hitting a six and three fours off his third over. He reached 98 with a wristy flick of six off Douglas Hondo, and a quick single off the next over took him to his 12th Test century, reached off only 90 balls.

 

Atapattu was not to be overshadowed, and though his method was less spectacular he scored quickly enough to keep 20 or 30 runs behind his more flamboyant partner. He reached his century in the last over before lunch, with a quickly sprinted three off Blessing Mahwire; it was his 13th in Tests and came off 153 deliveries.

 

In the second over after lunch Zimbabwe missed another chance, as there was a mix-up between the batsmen over a single and a direct hit on the stumps would probably have removed Atapattu for exactly 100. There was a bit more uncertain running, too, before the batsmen got into their stride again and Jayasuriya hit a big straight six into the top of the sightscreen off the occasional off-spinner Stuart Matsikenyeri.

 

The next record to fall was the highest opening partnership against Zimbabwe, which was previously 256, held by Herschelle Gibbs and Gary Kirsten since 2001/02, and scored on this same ground. At 277 Tatenda Taibu gave the wicket-keeping gloves to Alester Maregwede and came on to bowl himself; his first ball Jayasuriya hit for four past midwicket, but the third rose unexpectedly from the pitch and bounced off Jayasuriya’s glove into the gully.

 

Perhaps the batsman had fatally relaxed to see the wicketkeeper taking the ball, and Taibu is normally noted more for skidding the ball through, but Jayasuriya was surprised to have to depart for 157. It took him 147 balls, and he hit 28 fours and three sixes. Sri Lanka were 281 for one.

 

Next man in was Kumar Sangakkara, in form during the tour but probably still suffering from rigor mortis after waiting to bat for so long. He never looked fluent, and had only 11 to his credit when he top-edged a sweep against Stuart Matsikenyeri and lobbed an easy catch to Taibu fielding behind the square-leg umpire. Sri Lanka were 312 for two.

 

Mahela Jayawardene looked comfortable almost from the start, but Taibu bowled for too long and at the end of his eight-over spell did not take the gloves again until after tea. Zimbabwe were to regret this, as in the two overs before tea Maregwede dropped Jayawardene and Atapattu in turn, both off hard chances.

 

Atapattu passed 150 immediately after tea, but Jayawardene (37), perhaps careless, pulled Chigumbura but straight to midwicket, who took a smart low catch; 369 for three. The second new ball came, and with it a major shock: Atapattu, who should have tightened his concentration against it, instead lapsed, played a casual stroke without appropriate footwork, and was comprehensively bowled by the fourth ball from Hondo. His monumental 170 came from 333 balls, and he hit 24 fours.

 

Zimbabwe’s fightback continued, as Thilan Samaraweera (6) edged an outswinger from Panyangara to Taibu behind the stumps and walked immediately; 399 for five. Four balls later Prasanna Jayawardene (4) played inside another outswinger from the same bowler and had his off stump cleanly extracted.

 

Unexpectedly Tillakaratne Dilshan and Chaminda Vaas found themselves having to dig in and stem the collapse, but they were unable to do so. With incredible accuracy, Dilshan (10) copied Mahela Jayawardene by pulling a catch straight to midwicket, Panyangara being the lucky bowler this time; 414 for seven.

 

More cautious play followed from Vaas and Farveez Maharoof, and they were clearly playing for the morrow. They successfully held out the day, finishing with 28 and 16 respectively.

 

(Article: Copyright © 2004 John Ward)