Match report Zimbabwe v Sri Lanka 2003/04 2nd Test 4th day by John Ward

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Scorecard:

Zimbabwe v Sri Lanka

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Overnight: Zimbabwe (2) 44/2 off 25 overs (Taylor 19*, Ebrahim 3*).
Lunch: Zimbabwe (2) 154/5 off 56 overs (Maregwede 17*, Chigumbura 5*)
Result: Sri Lanka won by an innings and 254 runs.

 

Despite some early resistance from the Zimbabwe batsmen, Sri Lanka romped to victory almost halfway through the afternoon session of the fourth day of the Second Test at Queens Sports Club. Wickets and runs came in clusters, and at least it was an interesting and enjoyable half-day’s play, even if scarcely competitive in the greater context of the match.

 

A rather loose opening over from Farveez Maharoof brought a wide and two twos to Brendan Taylor. Then Dion Ebrahim off-drove Chaminda Vaas for four and nudged him to the third-man boundary off successive deliveries, so Zimbabwe had at least resolved to go down playing positive cricket.

 

The strokes continued, although both batsmen at times got away with aerial strokes, intentional or otherwise, that evaded the fielders. Both batsmen made the most of their opportunities, while the Sri Lankan bowling was adequate but uninspired; the motivation of the Zimbabweans was clearly in excess of that of the tourists, who merely need to finish off a match that was only a matter of time.

 

Taylor reached his first Test fifty off 110 balls, impressing with front-foot drives through the covers and wide of mid-on. He battled through a quiet patch after reaching his fifty, but then on-drove two handsome boundaries off Sanath Jayasuriya. Earlier he had survived a difficult bat-pad chance off Muttiah Muralitharan and a confident appeal for a catch at the wicket off Jayasuriya, the latter an excellent decision by umpire Rudi Koertzen. Again Murali’s bruised finger handicapped his bowling.

 

His luck ran out on 61, though, as he was snapped up at bat-pad off Murali. Zimbabwe were 125 for three, after a partnership of 85 with Ebrahim – Zimbabwe’s highest partnership of the series by some way. It had taken Sri Lanka more than 90 minutes to break through.

 

Two balls later there was a similar appeal for bat-pad against Tatenda Taibu, which umpire Billy Bowden, probably incorrectly, rejected, but it was a very difficult decision to make. In Murali’s next over, though, there was no doubt as Taibu, still without scoring, was snapped up at short leg, and Zimbabwe were 127 for four.

 

Alester Maregwede began by driving his second ball, a half-volley from Muralitharan, through extra cover for four, and then swung him over midwicket for another boundary. He lost Ebrahim, though, who flicked Jayasuriya round the corner but straight to the fielder at leg slip, who made no mistake. Ebrahim had batted gallantly for 42 and was clearly sickened to be dismissed.

 

Maregwede still had his eye on Murali, hitting him for six with a spectacular slog-sweep, as if determined to go down with all guns blazing. After lunch he continued in the same mode, hitting Chaminda Vaas for two successive fours, while being fortunate enough to play and miss at a couple of deliveries moving late across him. Elton Chigumbura played in the same mode, taking every chance to stand up and hammer anything resembling a loose ball.

 

It was too frenetic to last, though, and Maregwede had 28 off 32 balls when he was beaten and adjudged lbw to Vaas by umpire Koertzen, although the television replay appeared to show the ball pitching marginally outside leg stump. Mluleki Nkala attempted too soon to carry on the aggressive policy, and fell third ball, caught at third slip driving at Vaas without scoring. With the score still on 173, another borderline decision followed: Chigumbura (12), perhaps distracted by the wickets at the other end, padded up to a sharp spinner from Murali well outside the off stump and had umpire Bowden adjudge him lbw.

 

Tinashe Panyangara continued the courageous yet frenetic pace, just escaping a run-out going for a quick single and then being dropped on the fine-leg boundary when he skyed a hook off Vaas. Tawanda Mupariwa, cautious at first, then joined him in the ‘all-guns-blazing’ mould, and two fierce leg-side boundaries off Muralitharan took the total past 200. Jayasuriya put an end to him immediately, though, when he replaced Vaas, having Mupariwa spoon an easy catch to mid-on for 14.

 

Panyangara increased the intensity of his guns, viciously mowing Jayasuriya to cow corner for fours off successive deliveries, while Douglas Hondo played quietly at the other end. Hondo, though, spoilt the party when he tried to join it, aiming a sweep at Murali but only getting a top edge and skying a catch to backward square leg. The match was over, Zimbabwe had made 231 and lost the match by an innings and 254 runs, another new ‘heaviest ever’ defeat.

 

There was hope, though, in good performances by Taylor and Panyangara in particular, both of whom might well stay in the team on merit were the rebels to return. But they will be tested to the full against Australia, and without the rebels a third successive ‘heaviest defeat’ is very possible.

 

(Article: Copyright © 2004 John Ward)