Cremer helps Zimbabwe restrict SL

Captain Graeme Cremer picked up three wickets with his leg spin to help Zimbabwe reduce hosts Sri Lanka to 293 for seven at the end of the second day in their one-off Test at the R. Premadasa Stadium on Saturday.

Sri Lanka trail Zimbabwe by 63 runs in their first innings after the touring side were all out for 356, having resumed the second morning on 344 for eight.

Sri Lanka’s spin spearhead Rangana Herath added to his overnight haul of four wickets to pick up five for 116, his 30th five-wicket haul in tests.

Craig Ervine could add only nine runs to his overnight score of unbeaten 151 before he was the last man out for Zimbabwe.

Sri Lanka opener Upul Tharanga hit a fluent 71 before he was run out while backing up too far at the non-striker’s end.

Tharanga and fellow opener Dimuth Karunaratne compiled an opening stand of 84 for Sri Lanka.

Leading Sri Lanka for the first time in Tests, Dinesh Chandimal scored 55 and added 96 for the fourth wicket with former skipper Angelo Mathews, who made 41.

Earlier, Chandimal was unbeaten on 44 and Mathews on 16 as Sri Lanka reached 184-3 at tea, chasing Zimbabwe’s 356.

Chandimal and Mathews, who quit the captaincy this week after Sri Lanka’s loss in the one-day series against Zimbabwe, put on 68 for the fourth wicket.

Tharanga gave Sri Lanka a quick start before being run out at the non-strikers end as the hosts slipped from 84-0 to 116-3 at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo.

Tharanga fell short of his crease while backing up to a straight drive by Chandimal as the ball grazed past the fingers of paceman Donald Tiripano.

Tiripano’s lucky fielding effort came after he got Zimbabwe’s first breakthrough in Dimuth Karunaratne (25) in his first over after lunch. Karunaratne’s wicket ended an 84-run opening partnership.

Cremer got Kusal Mendis caught behind for 11 with his offspin.

Earlier Zimbabwe lasted just 4.4 overs of the morning session, adding 12 runs to their overnight score of 344-8, before the innings ended.

Craig Ervine top-scored with 160 while Sri Lankan spinner Rangana Herath returned an impressive 5-116.