Would the Lankans have to rue their batting indiscretions

As stumps were drawn at Kettarama on day two of the one-off Test ag a i n s t Zimbabwe, Sri Lankan batsmen may rue their failure to convert starts into big scores to provide a solid platform for an imposing total in their first innings.

After picking Zimbabwe’s remaining two wickets inside five overs to end Zimbabwe’s innings on 356, Sri Lanka began positively largely thanks to a scrumptious half- century from Upul Tharanga but visitors struck at crucial moments to break the momentum. At stumps on day two Sri Lanka were 293 for the loss of seven wickets, trailed by 63 runs.

Tharanga ( 71), skipper Dinesh Chandimal ( 55), Angelo Mathews ( 41) and Dilruwan Perera (33) got the starts but failed to convert them big as Sri Lanka left reeling against a team that has enjoyed little success in the longer format in recent years.

After the a steady opening stand of 84 between Tharanga and Dimuth Karunaratne, new Test skipper Dinesh Chandimal and Angelo Mathews steadied the ship with a valuable 96 for the fourth wicket between them, but Zimbabwe bowlers ripped through the Sri Lankan innings picking wickets at regular intervals to put hosts under tremendous pressure.

“We need to erase the deficit and put as many runs as possible in order to put pressure back on them,” Rangana Herath said at the post match press conference. “The wicket is turning and it will be the same during the next few days.

Sri Lanka did everything right before the lunch break-- picked up the two remaining wickets conceding just 12 runs and then added 77 runs without a loss but in between lunch and tea they were chaotic. Sri Lanka lost three wickets during the second session, including well set Upul Tharanga as Sri Lanka took tea at 184 for the loss of three wickets.

Sri Lanka’s slide began after tea when Dimuth Karunaratne attempted to cut a ball angled into him by Donald Tiripano only to be brilliantly caught by Hamilton Masakadza at first slip, who barely had any time to react at first slip. Karunaratne departed for 25 ending a steady opening stand and was soon followed by Kusal Mendis who edged a turning delivery from leg- spinner Graeme Cremer to the wicket-keeper.

Tharanga was in superb form in his breezy half-century and looked set for a long innings but had to take the long walk back to the pavilion when he was run out at the non- strikers end with bowler Tiripano getting the fingertips to the ball driven by Dinesh Chandimal on its way to hit the stumps.

Though his boot was on the crease which belongs to the umpire, he had not bothered to ground the bat and paid the prize. That ended a flourishing innings from a man who entertained the sparsely crowd with some beautiful shots around the ground.

With Tharanga departed, Angelo Mathews joined skipper Chandimal in the middle and together they consolidated the innings before Chandimal became Cremer’s second victim when he edged Cremer to the wicket- keeper Regis Chakabva. Cremer claimed his third when Niroshan Dickwella had his stumps rattled when he attempted to cut as a thick inside edged cannoned into the stumps. With wickets tumbling at oneend and the pitch slowing down giving sharp turn and bounce, it was all left to former skipper Mathews to bring some respectability to the innings. But he departed when he attempted to sweep off Sean Williams where the top edged flew down to legs- side of the keeper. Masakadza who was fielding at first slips ran to his left and pounced the ball ending Mathews 104-ball innings. Dilruwan Perera who was promoted ahead of Asela Gunaratne who is battling with a hamstring injury made a quick- fire 33 before being run out. At crease were Rangana Herath on 5 and Asela Gunaratne on 23. Gunaratne is unlikely to field in the second innings.

Earlier Rangana Herath claimed his 30th five- wicket haul to bowl out Zimbabwe for 356 in their first innings.

Sri Lanka needed just 4.4 overs to pick the remaining two wickets after Zimbabwe took day one honours reaching 344 for the loss of nine wickets.

Herath removed Donald Tiripano for a well-made 27 with the penultimate over of his second over of the day while seamer Lahiru Kumara removed centurion Craig Ervine five balls later to end Ervine’s long resistance.

Ervine had added nine more to his overnight score of 151—his career best performance when he was caught off at third man by Dilruwan Perera when the batsmen attempted to sail the ball over third man boundary. (Look for the lap sweep, top-edge flies to left of keeper. First slips runs and grabs it) Niroshan Dickwella .................................... 6 (Trying to cut and impossible, ball cannoned into the stumps off an inside edge) Dilruwan Perera ........................................... 33 ( Musakanda stops at backward point and pass to Waller who throws on the bounce to keeper) Asela Gunaratne .......................................... 24 Rangana Herath ............................................. 5 ....................................... ..................................... 1-84, 2-107, 3-116, 4-212, 5-226, 6-238, 7-274 S. Lakmal, L. Kumara C. Mpofu11-2-41-0, D. Tiripano 10-1-38-1, S. Raza 18-2-60-0, G. Cremer 30-3-100-3, M. Waller 1-0-2-0, S Williams 13-1-34-1