Online Reporter
SEAN Wiliams said it was a tough one to swallow as the Chevrons lost another close ODI match to Sri Lanka, going down by five wickets in a game which went into the final over, to lose the two-match series 0-2.
The visitors chased the hosts score of 277-7 as they reached 278-5 with just three balls left in their innings at Harare Sports Club.
“Was a tough one to swallow. Could have been 1-1. Could have been 2-0. The series result could have been different,” said Williams.
“The middle overs we could have done better. We tried to tighten the screws. Small little chances make a lot of difference at the end of the day.”
Ben Curran top-scored in the innings with a 95-ball 79 but he was unable to be around for the final overs.
Indeed, where the Zimbabwean innings lost their way was losing wickets at crucial points through the middle overs.
After Zimbabwe’s fast start — scoring 55 inside the opening powerplay — the entry of a rusty Brendan Taylor allowed Sri Lanka to put a break on the scoring.
Taylor and Curran put on a stand of 61 but since it came off 84 deliveries, it allowed Asalanka to sneak in several overs of the fifth bowler quota.
Taylor laboured to 20 off 37 during this period, while Charith Asalanka snuck four of his own overs in for just 17 runs.
With six more fifth-bowler overs remaining, Asalanka brought on Janith Liyanage, who dismissed Taylor in his second over, as the experienced batter mistimed a scoop to short fine while seeking to up the scoring.
Williams then entered, and all it took was one monster strike down the ground for Liyanage to be removed from the attack.
With Williams generally looking to attack, both Maheesh Theekshana and Dushmanta Chameera kept things tight during this period.
Sikanda Raza scored a second successive half century.
That said, Sri Lanka perhaps made life more difficult for themselves than they needed to.
They did not score a boundary in the final powerplay until the 48th over — two ended up coming off that one, to leave the equation at 12 needed off 12 — but it meant the game was heading for yet another final over finish.
In the penultimate over, Asalanka got a boundary after deep midwicket had misjudged a skier, but was caught a ball later, having scored a crucial 71 off 61.
Then, Kamindu Mendis defied space and time to inside edge an attempted reverse lap sweep for four, off a pinpoint Ngarava yorker to bring the equation down to 6 off 2.
After that, the rest was a formality.
What they said:
Charith Asalanka: Pleasure to have a win in Zimbabwe. Both teams fought well. Just do the basics right. The boys did well. Nissanka scored the 100 that was needed. Very impressive. The young boys have been performing well for the A side. I said to the boys, specially to Nissanka to hit the gaps and run hard. We have supporters everywhere.
Pathum Nissanka, Player of the Match and Player of the Series: I was short of runs. But glad to make a comeback in this format. Wanted to do well for the team. So, I managed to score runs. In the powerplay, it was not easy with two experienced bowlers bowling. — Cricinfo/Cricbuzz
