Sangakkara guides Sri Lanka home
Thursday, April 22 2004
Zimbabwe were not given a prayer of competing with their far more established and settled opponents of Sri Lanka, going into the first ODI of five between the two teams. With the political turmoil which caused forced several Zimbabweans out of international contention, the named XI contained all of four debutants, who had played just ___ FC matches between them.
Added to that, 20-year-old Tatenda Taibu was set to become the youngest captain of an international cricket team, following the rather hostile sacking of Heath Streak. With all that weight on the shoulders of one so young, Taibu managed to shine the brightest he has in his career to date. A fine unbeaten 96 and four useful overs almost saw a shocking upset for the hosts Zimbabwe. Indeed it required an equally impressive unbeaten knock from Kumar Sangakkara to get Sri Lanka to a victorious position by D/L method.
Winning the toss, Atapattu put Zimbabwe in to bat on a flat track and things proceeded as expected in the initial overs. Openers Vusi Sibanda and Brendon Taylor both perished for ducks and the score was 1 for 2 in the 3rd over. Captain and vice-captain, Taibu and Ebrahim (13) were made to rebuild with a steady partnership of 46. However, it was the partnerships for the fifth and sixth wicket which really pushed the total to the respectability of 211/5 in 50 overs. Between Maregwede (37) and Taibu, 75 runs were added, and between Nkala (33 not out) and Taibu, an unbeaten 57.
Taibu's innings of 96 came from 151 balls and lasted exactly three hours. He struck three fours and no sixes on his captaincy debut.
The Sri Lankan reply started no better than Zimbabwean set, Atapattu (0) and Jayasuriya (9) out with 9 runs in the books. Jaywardene (5) never got going and was Hondo's second wicket when he was caught at long leg - 44/3. Promoted up the order, pinch-hitter Zoysa (14) played a brief cameo, facing 17 balls in the process. Upon his demise Sri Lanka stood at 77/4 in 14.3 overs and Dilshan joined Sangakkara at the crease.
With the run rate already going well and Sri Lanka ahead of the Duckworth/Lewis requirement, the two batsmen paced themselves with singles and twos until bad light intervened. Dilshan remained unbeaten on 35 and Sangakkara on 73 off 72 balls, Sri Lanka winning by 12 runs on D/L.
Match Summary:
Zimbabwe innings 211/5 (50 overs)
(T Taibu 96* [151], A Maregwede 37 [44], M Nkala 33* [22])
(DNT Zoysa 3/21 [7])
Sri Lanka innings 144/4 (27 overs)
(KC Sangakkara 73* [72], TM Dilshan 35* [41])
(DT Hondo 2/34 [7])
Result: Sri Lanka won by 12 runs (D/L method)
Man of the Match: T Taibu (Zim)
Posted by Liam
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