Zim in control despite Embuldeniya fifer

Sri Lanka 42/1 (Oshada 21, Karunaratne 12*, Tiripano 1-5) trail Zimbabwe 358 (Ervine 85, Kasuza 63, Masvaure 55, Embuldeniya 5-114) by 316 runs

SRI Lanka lost Oshada Fernando late on the second day after being made to toil for 148 overs by Zimbabwe in the first Test in Harare yesterday. Zimbabwe folded for 358, while Sri Lanka ended the day on 42 for 1. 

It was another frustrating day for the visitors as Zimbabwe continued to defy the visiting bowlers. After starting the day on 189 for 2, Sri Lanka made good use of the second new ball and struck thrice in the first session. 

In the second over of the day, Craig Ervine crossed the 1000-run mark in Test cricket, but towards the end of the session also missed his century. Brendan Taylor fell early in the day and there was low score for the newly-appointed captain Sean Williams as well. 

With less than 10 minutes to go in the session, Suranga Lakmal knocked off Craig Ervine, but not before the Zimbabwe number 3 had played out 187 balls and made 85. 

There was more frustration in store for the visitors in the second session who had hoped to wrap things up quickly. Sikandar Raza’s positive approach pushed the score past 300 as he struck six boundaries before falling for a 65-ball 41. 

There was a flurry of wickets, but Donald Tiripano dug deep to take the score past 350. Tiripano was 24 off 74 at one stage, but picked up the pace after the fall of the eighth wicket. He was unbeaten on 41 at the end of the second session even after play was extended after the fall of the ninth wicket. Zimbabwe were 349 for 9 then and had struggled against Lasith Embuldeniya, who ended with figures of 5 for 114, his second Test five-wicket haul. 

Tiripano stayed unbeaten on 44 as Lakmal wrapped things up early in the final session. Tiripano was in the action once again in the 12th over. The pacer had the ball move in and take out the middle pole as Fernando watched in bewilderment. 

Dimuth Karunaratne and Kusal Mendis then saw off the next two overs to end another tiring day. — Cricbuzz.