Crestfallen Cremer falls short

Zimbabwe 373 & 186 lost to Sri Lanka 537 & 247-6d by 225 runs

GRAEME Cremer’s dogged resistance was ultimately in vain as Zimbabwe’s hopes of saving the first Test against Sri Lanka ended 45 balls short.

The 30-year-old interim captain’s effort was magnificent given his Test average of just 16.12.

After a career-best score of 102 not out in the first innings, another monumental contribution in the second – scoring 43 runs but soaking up 175 balls in the process – almost saw his side home.

But when Cremer was remarkably stumped 12 overs before the close of play in Harare, the hosts were on 183-9 and the writing was on the wall.

Man-of-the-match Cremer had faced 351 balls across both innings – the second-most ever in Tests by a No.8 – but after his attempt to flick Rangana Herath away against the turn cost him his wicket, he remarkably pointed the finger at himself for the loss.

“To take it to all five days and to have it that close is good for Test cricket and we have a lot of positives to take out from this game,” he said.

“We were really happy with the start we had, but then when we started to lose a few wickets we panicked.

“I blame myself for losing this game. If I was there then at least if Carl (Mumba) or Chris (Mpofu) had got out then I would have felt a lot better about myself, but I think my wicket was the turning point.”

It was skipper Herath (3-38) and Dilruwan Perera (3-34) who did the damage for Sri Lanka, after the tourists had declared overnight on 247-6 to set Zimbabwe 412 for victory.

And while Cremer, Sean Williams (40 off 134), and Tino Mawoyo (37 off 125) looked like they might have done enough to hold Sri Lanka – who had Kusal Perera, Upul Tharanga, and Dimuth Karunaratne all scoring 110 in a match they dominated – it was not to be.