Sri Lanka stutter to victory

Mubarak rescues tourists in fourth ODI

Last updated: 28th November 2008  

Sri Lanka stutter to victory

Mendis: Six wicket haul

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Fourth One Day International
Harare Sports Club
Zimbabwe 146 (B A W Mendis 6-29) v Sri Lanka 150-8 (J Mubarak 60 no)
Sri Lanka beat Zimbabwe by 2 wkts

Sri Lanka remain on course for a 5-0 whitewash in their one-day series against Zimbabwe, but endured their toughest test so far before clinching victory by two wickets.

Zimbabwe were bowled out for 146 in 46.3 overs, apparently leaving the tourists with the simplest of tasks in Harare, young spinner Ajantha Mendis taking six for 29 in nine overs.

But the Sri Lankan batsmen were never allowed to settle, Elton Chigumbura and Tawanda Mupariwa taking three wickets apiece, and the visitors needed to rely on Johan Mubarak to take them over the line with 15 balls to spare.

Mubarak, who came in with the score on 55 for four, guided the Sri Lankans to 150 for eight with 60 not out after the top order failed to deliver.

Snapped up

Openers Upul Tharanga and Mahela Udawatte looked to have got themselves in but then fell in successive overs.

Tharanga was caught behind by Tatenda Taibu off the bowling of Prosper Utseya for 17 and then Mupariwa had Udawatte snapped up by Stuart Matsikenyeri at mid-on for 14.

Mupariwa then snared the prize wicket of Mahela Jayawardene with a first-ball lbw decision and bagged his third wicket soon after when he had Chamara Kapugedera taken at point by Chamu Chibhabha for 12.

Kumar Sangakkara helped steady the ship with 23 before being caught and bowled by Chigumbura, but Angelo Mathews fell three overs later - bowled by Ray Price without having troubled the scorers.

Thilan Thushara and Dammika Prasad contributed six and eight respectively before falling to Chigumbura, but Mubarak and Mendis (three not out) saw Sri Lanka home.

Zimbabwe were undermined by the spin of Mendis, who claimed four of his six wickets via lbw decisions.

Familiar collapse

Hamilton Masakadza and Vusi Sibanda put on 46 for the first wicket, but Prasad had Masakadza caught at mid-off by Mathews for 28 and Sibanda followed soon after, trapped leg before wicket by Mendis for 21.

Taibu found the safe hands of Jayawardene at first slip off the bowling of Thushara for seven as the Zimbabwe collapse gained momentum.

Mendis trapped Matsikenyeri (nought) and Chibhabha (20) lbw in quick succession and then Mubarak got in on the act - dismissing Chigumbura, who had picked up just five runs from 41 balls faced.

Keith Dabengwa (32) was next to be sent back to the pavilion, caught by Mubarak off Mendis, who then completed his five-for by having Utseya taken by Kapugedera for eight.

Price became Mendis' sixth scalp when he was dismissed lbw playing across the line for five, with Thushara rounding things off by having Mupariwa caught by Dilhara Fernando for three.

The fifth and final match of the series takes place in Harare on Sunday.