da 888casino： Zimbabwe were left facing an innings defeat at the Sinhalese Sports Club onSaturday after being forced to follow on 402 runs in arrears in the firstJanashakthi National Test
Charlie Austin29-Dec-2001Zimbabwe were left facing an innings defeat at the Sinhalese Sports Club onSaturday after being forced to follow on 402 runs in arrears in the firstJanashakthi National Test.The tourists then suffered further damage in the second innings, asoff-spinner Muttiah Muralitharan plucked out two wickets to leave then on 64for two, still 338 runs behind with two days remaining.Zimbabwe’s second knock had started well enough, as the openers survived thefirst hour without loss. But teenage opener Hamilton Masakadza (28) then topedged a slog sweep and was well caught by Marvan Atapattu running back frommid-wicket.Minutes later his partner, Trevor Gripper (10), misread Muralitharan’sstraighter ball for the second time in the day to be given out caught behindby wicket-keeper Kumar Sangakkara.Night watchman Travis Friend averted further damage by somehow surviving theremaining seven overs till the close with acting-captain Stuart Carlisle (22not out), despite frequent appeals from Sri Lanka’s hawkish close fieldersand some explosive off-breaks from Muralitharan.Muralitharan picked up six wickets in the day, to pass Malcom Marshall (376)and slip into eighth position in the all-time wicket-takers list, and posedthe greatest the threat to the batsmen on a wicket that is getting slowerand lower.He will surely continue to do so when play resumes on Monday morning after arest day forced upon the cricketing authorities by a government decree thatno sport be played on full moon (Poya) holidays.Zimbabwe will be none to pleased that the pitch will spend a whole day beingbaked by sun before their resume their apparently hopeless rearguard action.As it was skipper Carlisle showed frustration afterwards following a numberof dubious umpiring decisions that largely fell in favour of the home-side,starting with early let-offs for Sanath Jayasuriya and Marvan Atapattu onthe first day and continuing today in the Zimbabwean first innings.Gavin Rennie (35) was given out lbw sweeping Muralitharan when the ballwould have missed off-stump, Grant Flower (0) was dubiously adjudged caughtat silly point for a duck shortly after lunch, and Travis Friend (6)received a shocking lbw decision from umpire Riazruddin.The poor decisions did not all go in Sri Lanka’s favour. Andy Flower lookedlucky to survive two leg-before shouts on 34 when pinned to his stumps byswerving indippers from Chaminda Vaas and on the second day Kumar Sangakkaralooked unlucky to have been given out by the third umpire when televisionreplays appeared inconclusive.But Zimbabwe lack the talent to survive such misfortune and on balance theyhad the right to feel aggrieved.Carlisle, speaking with emotion but also trying to abide by ICC regulationsthat prevent direct comment on umpiring decisions, said: “As a fielding andbatting side we have been very unlucky on certain things and it really hasn’t gone our way. These important factors change games and make it difficultto lift the guys.”He had not given up hope of averting defeat though: “We sure are going totry our hardest to save this game. It is a pretty good batting pitch, but30s and 40s are not going to do it. Its up to the eight batters left to getreally stuck in and get some big partnerships.”Zimbabwe also had themselves to blame for their sorry predicament after somepretty ordinary shots in the morning and early afternoon, as they failed toconstruct any meaningful partnerships.Carlisle (10), who was dropped second ball of the day despite an acrobaticeffort from Sangakkara, was the first to go, as Jayasuriya held on to asharp chance at first slip (29 for two).Gripper (30) became Muralitharan’s first wicket when he was snapped up atfirst slip and with Rennie’s lbw decision Zimbabwe were left on 100 for fourat lunch.Grant Flower lasted just four balls afterwards before Craig Wishart (21) andAndy Flower (42) added 41 for the sixth wicket, the largest stand of theinnings.But Wishart then guided a short delivery from Nuwan Zoysa into the hands ofthird slip and Andy Flower cleaned bowled next over as he two-stepped downthe wicket to off-spinner Thilan Samaraweera (146 for seven).Heath Streak (26 not out) and Friend threatened a recovery but that nevermaterialised after Friend’s controversial decision and Zimbabwe were bowledout for 184.