Sri Lanka beat Zimbabwe by 225 runs to win the 1st Test

[Abdullah719]

Zimbabwe Team
TMK Mawoyo, BB Chari, H Masakadza, CR Ervine, SC Williams, PJ Moor†, MN Waller, AG Cremer*, DT Tiripano, CT Mumba, CB Mpofu.

Sri Lanka Team
JK Silva, FDM Karunaratne, BKG Mendis, MDKJ Perera†, DM de Silva, WU Tharanga, DAS Gunaratne, MDK Perera, HMRKB Herath*, RAS Lakmal, CBRLS Kumara.

Sri Lanka won the toss and elected to bat.

 

[Markhor]

First session comfortably negotiated by SRL.

Carl Mumba is one to watch from this Zimbabwean bowling attack, he's torn it up in domestic. Mpofu and Tiripano are harmless trundlers.

 

[Pantani]

You know you're getting older when there are guys playing test cricket who are three years younger than you, like this CBRLS Kumara guy who's on debut for Sri Lanka.

Add in PADLR Sandakan, HMRKB Herath and UWMBCA Welagedera, and the Sri Lankan side might have more collective number of initials than the total runs Zimbabwe will score

 

[Thivagar]

Zimbabwe has gone down to the level of Ireland. Just strip their Test membership and hand it over to Afghanistan. All the wickets were thrown, not taken.

 

[Markhor]

Zimbabwe bowlers are impotent on a flat track. Mumba's had a tough debut whilst the spinners got milked. I guess they want the matches to last 5 days given their financial state but they're better off making it a low-scoring lottery on a greentop.

 

[Square Drive]

What an exciting game going on.

 

[aloo paratha]

First session comfortably negotiated by SRL.

Carl Mumba is one to watch from this Zimbabwean bowling attack, he's torn it up in domestic. Mpofu and Tiripano are harmless trundlers.

Mpofu is good, Tiripano is trash.

 

[aloo paratha]

Apparently Zimbabwean bowlers bowled well but their fielders couldn't back it up, 3 or 4 dropped catches IIRC. Hope Sri Lanka don't get too big of a total, want the game to bee close. Hopefully Zim can bundle them out for 400

 

[Pantani]

SL 8/528

Why hasn't there been a declaration?

 

[Pantani]

This Kumara can't be much chop if even Zimbabwe are taking him at 8 an over

 

[Abdullah719]

Beginning to look like a below-par score by SL.

 

[anuk]

this will truly be the pits if sl somehow end up not winning this test.

 

[ExpressPacer]

Honestly, if Zimbabwe had all the players who didn't migrate to some other country or quit cricket, they would be such a good team. At least better than Pakistan in LOI's.

 

[Thivagar]

This Kumara can't be much chop if even Zimbabwe are taking him at 8 an over

Why do you think the quality of SL school cricket has gone down ? What happens to the decent school boys who ends up not having a club(FC) upon graduation?

 

[aloo paratha]

Why do you think the quality of SL school cricket has gone down ? What happens to the decent school boys who ends up not having a club(FC) upon graduation?

You know why Lahiru Kumara is playing?? Has pretty much nothing on his cricinfo page, what did he do to get in?

I'd personally debut Asitha Fernando instead who actually showed potential in the Under 19 World Cup.

 

[IcedEarth]

You know why Lahiru Kumara is playing?? Has pretty much nothing on his cricinfo page, what did he do to get in?

I'd personally debut Asitha Fernando instead who actually showed potential in the Under 19 World Cup.

May be based on potential. Time and time again selectors throw in the wild cards. And some of these wild cards became starts or ATGs. Aravinda de Silva, Muralitharan and Sanath are all picked as wildcards without much FC / List A experiance. Recent example is Kusal Mendis.

 

[Pantani]

Why do you think the quality of SL school cricket has gone down ? What happens to the decent school boys who ends up not having a club(FC) upon graduation?

Don't ask me I have very little knowledge of SQL domestic cricket

 

[Abdullah719]

Peter Moor looks like a good player for Zimbabwe. Scores big and scores fast.

 

[Indiafan]

This is an excellent fight back by Zim. Now on 373 for 7 with captain unbeaten on a 100

 

[aloo paratha]

May be based on potential. Time and time again selectors throw in the wild cards. And some of these wild cards became starts or ATGs. Aravinda de Silva, Muralitharan and Sanath are all picked as wildcards without much FC / List A experiance. Recent example is Kusal Mendis.

Looks like a real spray gun, can't land 2 balls in the same over in the same spot let alone 2 consecutive balls.

 

[Thivagar]

Looks like a real spray gun, can't land 2 balls in the same over in the same spot let alone 2 consecutive balls.

He is a Sri Lankan fast bowler, that is all you get. At least he doesn't look malnourished and bowls at Sri Lankan Express Pace of 130+ KM/H.

 

[aloo paratha]

He is a Sri Lankan fast bowler, that is all you get. At least he doesn't look malnourished and bowls at Sri Lankan Express Pace of 130+ KM/H.

Well at least he has potential, accuracy can come, and he's only 19 and already hitting 140kmh so hopefully he can get accurate and bowl consistently at 140-145 kmh in the coming years. Most importantly, I hope he can stay away from injury, all the promising Sri Lankan pacers are injured.

Him and Asitha Fernando can be a good duo in 4-5 years.

 

[Markhor]

Lankans gifting wickets. Still have a sizeable lead but if Zimbos wrap this up quickly then you never know - especially given SL's recent failures to defend 300+ totals in the 4th inns.

 

[IcedEarth]

Looks like a real spray gun, can't land 2 balls in the same over in the same spot let alone 2 consecutive balls.

And you know, there had been similar players. Umesh Yadav, Varun Aaron and Sami comes to my mind.

 

[Thivagar]

Well at least he has potential, accuracy can come, and he's only 19 and already hitting 140kmh so hopefully he can get accurate and bowl consistently at 140-145 kmh in the coming years. Most importantly, I hope he can stay away from injury, all the promising Sri Lankan pacers are injured.

Him and Asitha Fernando can be a good duo in 4-5 years.

In other countries Fast Bowlers make their debut in their late teens-early 20s and are in their peak by 25. In SL, fast bowlers continue to learn till they reach 30. Majority of the fast bowlers that SL produce often never knew that they had the talent to play for SL. It is all about spin bowling in SL. You can walk in to a FC team if you can bowl at good pace.

 

[aloo paratha]

Match going down to the wire, lets go Zimbabwe!

 

[JaDed]

13 overs to go and 2 wickets remaining.

 

[street cricketer]

Zimbabwe 10 overs from a draw.

Sri Lanka 2 wickets from a win.

 

[aloo paratha]

Cremer gone, 10 overs for the tail looks like a long, long journey now...

 

[Varun]

Game over, but good fight by Zimbabwe nonetheless.

 

[street cricketer]

Afridi would've been proud of that shot or the attempt at the shot.

 

[aloo paratha]

A Rahat Ali and Sohail Khan effort, number 10 protecting the number 11

 

[aloo paratha]

Good win from Sri Lanka but brilliant fight from Zimbabwe!