Zimbabwe dance to Murali’s tune

KANDY (SRI LANKA), Jan 9: Off spinner Muttiah Muralitharan took five for 23 to force Zimbabwe to follow on in the first Test against Sri Lan...

KANDY (SRI LANKA), Jan 9: Off spinner Muttiah Muralitharan took five for 23 to force Zimbabwe to follow on in the first Test against Sri Lanka in Kandy today. Zimbabwe were bundled out for 140 on the third day after adding just six runs to their tea score. They are 329 runs behind Sri Lanka’s first innings total of 469 for nine declared.

It was Muralitharan’s 10th five-wicket haul in Tests. He bowled 18 maidens in his 29 overs. Left-arm spinner Jayantha Silva did the remaining damage, claiming three for 27. With the exception of left-handed opener Gavin Rennie who scored a defiant 53 in 281 minutes and Paul Strang’s innings of 35, the rest of the Zimbabwe batting just crumbled. The same spinners destroyed Zimbabwe’s batting on their last tour to Sri Lanka in 1996-97, taking 27 wickets between them in the two Tests.

Zimbabwe lost skipper Alistair Campbell for seven in the sixth over after lunch when he edged a catch to Roshan Mahanama at fourth slip. Craig Wishart did not last long going in similar fashionfor three, also caught by Mahanama off Muralitharan.

SCOREBOARD

Sri Lanka (1st innings): 469 for 9 declared

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Zimbabwe (1st innings): G Rennie c Aravinda de Silva b Jayantha Silva 53, G Flower b Muralitharan 4, M Goodwin lbw Jayanta Silva 2, A Flower lbw Vaas 8, A Campbell c Mahanama b Pushpakumara 7, C Wishart c Mahanama b Muralitharan 3, P Strang c Aravinda de Silva b Muralitharan 35, H Streak b Muralitharan 5, A Whittall not out 6, B Strang b Muralitharan 2, A Huckle lbw Jayanta Silva 0, Extras (b 6, lb 2, nb 7): 15. Total: 140

Fall of wickets: 1-29, 2-36, 3-46, 4-72, 5-75, 6-119, 7-127, 8-134, 9-139

Bowling: Vaas 17-4-36-1, Pushpakumara 14-5-34-1, Muralitharan 29-18-23-5, Jayanta Silva 19.4-9-27-3, Aravinda de Silva 5-0-12-0, Jayasuriya 1-1-0-0

Zimbabwe (2nd innings): G Rennie lbw Muralitharan 24, G Flower b Aravinda de Silva 38, M Goodwin not out 1, A Whittal not out 2, Extras (b 1, lb 5): 6. Total (for two wickets): 71

Fall of wickets: 1-68, 2-69

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Bowling: Vaas 6-1-13-0, Pushpakumara 5-0-22-0, Muralitharan 7-4-11-1, Aravinda de Silva 8-3-17-1, Jayantha Silva 2-1-2-0