CHEVRONS CHOKE AGAIN
. . . Sri Lanka win ODI series
ZIMBABWE suffered another batting collapse as Sri Lanka cruised to an eight wicket win with 62 balls to spare (D/L method) in the third and final ODI at the RPICS yesterday.
Sri Lanka won the series 2-0 after the opener was abandoned as a no result at the weekend.
Needing a win to salvage something from the ODIs against Sri Lanka, the Chevrons produced, what could be one of their worst batting performances in the past years.
Yesterday’s game was reduced from 50 overs to just 27 due to rain and Zimbabwe — after winning the toss and electing to bat first — chocked from 40/0 in their first seven over to just 96 runs all out in 22,5 overs.
The Chevrons scored only 56 runs for the loss of 10 wickets as they were embarrassingly bundled out by Sri Lanka after the rain disruption.
The hosts went on to chase down the target in 16,4 overs, finishing on 97/2 with 62 balls remaining, to continue their dominance over the Chevrons.
Zimbabwe’s openers, Joylord Gumbie and Takudzwanashe Kaitano notched up a 43-run stand for the first wicket partnership before the middle order collapsed.
The duo finished the innings as the Chevrons’ leading run scorers.
Gumbie top scored with 29 runs off 34 deliveries while Kaitano chipped in with just 17 runs after facing 24 balls. Luke Jongwe and Wellington Masakadza, who were playing their first match in the series made 14 and 11 runs respectively while allrounder Sikandar Raza fell for 10 runs.
They were the only Chevrons batters who managed to cross double figures in a batting collapse that came after the rain delay.
Sri Lanka’s spinning wizard and allrounder, Wanindu Hasaranga - who missed the first two matches - produced a spell for the ages which all but won the game for the hosts. He finished with a career best figures of 7/19 in just 5,5 overs while Dilshan Madushanka, Maheesh Theekshana and Janath Liyanage took one scalp apiece to wipe out the Chevrons for a low total.
It was Zimbabwe’s most consistent bowler, Richard Ngarava who had the first breakthrough for the Chevrons, striking as early as the fifth ball of the second innings of the match. Ngarava went on to finish with figures of 1/20 in three overs, while Wellington Masakadza — who was also playing his first match of the series — took the only other wicket that fell.
Masakadza finished with figures of 1/15 in his 2,4 over spell. The new Lankan skipper, Kusal Mendis played the crucial captain’s knock for the hosts as he finished undefeated on 66, runs off 51 balls, supported by Sadeera Samarawicrama, who also remained not out on 14 runs to help the Lions of Sri Lanka win the ODI series 2-0. The two Lankans who fell with the bat were Avishka Fernando and debutant Shevon Daniel.
It will be back to the drawing board and self-introspection for the Chevrons who will return to the field on Sunday for the first T20I at the same venue.