Murali plots Zimbabwean fall

Zimbabwe lost their last nine wickets for 50 runs in 21 overs. The collapse followed a brisk opening stand of 81 off 90 balls between Alistair Campbell and Grant Flower which ended in the 16th over, when confusion and hesitation resulted in Campbell run out by Upul Chandana for 38.

Four overs later Flower, on 47, top-edged a delivery to Sanath Jayasuria at short fine leg to become Muralitharan’s first victim. The off-spinner turned the ball sharply on a surface which did not respond much to the other slow bowlers’ efforts, and the Zimbabweans were mesmerised by him.

Leg-spinner Chandana cleaned up the tail to finish with three for 21.Earlier, Marvan Atapattu top-scored for SriLanka with 69. Lanka were reduced to 59 for three in the 16th over before Atapattu found a reliable partner in Russel Arnold. They added 94 off 132 balls for the fourth wicket, a stabilising stand which ended in the 38th over.

Paceman Henry Olonga finished with career best ODI figures of four for 51.

Scoreboard

Sri Lanka: Sanath Jayasuria c Campbell b Olonga 1, Romesh Kaluwitharana c Gavin Rennie b John Rennie 12, Marvan Atapattu c Andy Flower b Olonga 69, Mahela Jayawardene c Andy Flower b Brent 18, Russel Arnold c Olonga b Brent 37, Tillekaratne Dilshan b Olonga 27, Upul Chandana c Brent b Olonga 26, Chaminda Vaas not out 19, Pramodaya Wickremasinghe not out 11. Extras (b 4, lb 7, w 17): 28. Total (for 7 wicketss, in 50 overs): 248
Did not bat: Muttiah Muralitharan, Sajeewa de Silva
Fall of wickets: 1-12, 2-25, 3-59, 4-153, 5-160, 6-208, 7-222
Bowling: John Rennie 10-0-32-1 (w 2), Olonga 10-0-51-4 (w 5), Brent 10-0-63-2 (w 5), Guy Whittall 10-1-41-0 (w 5),Andy Whittall 7-0-34-0, Goodwin 3-0-16-0

Zimbabwe: Alistair Campbell run out (Chandana) 38, Grant Flower c Jayasuriya b Muralitharan 47, Murray Goodwin c Wickremasinghe b Muralitharan 25, Andy Flower c Wickremasinghe b Jayawardene 0, Stuart Carlisle c Kaluwitharana b Muralitharan 0, Guy Whittall not out 23, Gavin Rennie run out (Atapattu) 2, Gary Brent b Muralitharan 2, John Rennie c Atapattu b Chandana 5, Andy Whittall b Chandana 2, Henry Olonga lbw Chandana 0, Extras (lb 5, w 1): 6. Total: (all out in 37 overs)150
Fall of wickets: 1-81, 2-100, 3-101, 4-102, 5-123, 6-129, 7-132, 8-139, 9-150
Bowling: Vaas 7-0-25-0 (w 1), Sajeewa de Silva 2-0-20-0, Wickremasinghe 4-0-26-0, Arnold 3-0-15-0, Jayawardene 5-0-14-1, Muralitharan 7-0-16-4, Chandana 7-1-21-3, Jayasuriya 2-0-8-0
Result: Sri Lanka won by 98 runs
First ODI at Bulawayo: Abandoned
Second ODI at Bulawayo: Sri Lanka won by 13 runs
Fourth ODI at Harare: Dec 18
Fifth ODI atHarare: Dec 19.