50-Overs Cricket and Tournaments SL Vs Zim 2nd match

Taylor-made win

for Zimbabwe

Harare: 

Continuing their giant-killing spree, hosts Zimbabwe rode on Brendan Taylor's second ODI ton to pull off a spectacular eight-wicket win over Sri Lanka in the inconsequential match of the cricket tri-series here on Monday.

        With both the teams having already made it to the summit clash, Monday's match was of merely academic interest but Zimbabwe proved their back-to-back wins against India was no fluke as they upstaged Sri Lanka in the dress-rehearsal for Wednesday's final.

         Put into bat, Sri Lanka got off to a flier, courtesy the 122 run stand between captain Tillakaratne Dilshan (78) and Upul Tharnaga (69) but the Zimbabwe bowlers showed tremendous resilience to eventually bowl out the visitors for a modest 236 in 47.5 overs at the Harare Sports Club.

        And with Taylor (119 not out) extending his sensational form in the tournament, Zimbabwe cruised to 240 for two in 47.5 overs to clinch the match.

        Taylor's sterling unbeaten 137-ball knock was studded with nine fours and a six. He got good support from Chamu Chibhaba (58) with whom he shared 134 runs for the second wicket and then completed the chase in Tatenda Taibu's (42 not out) company with the duo putting on an unbeaten 92-run stand.

        Earlier, Sri Lanka could not make the most of a flyingt start and folded for 236 inside 48 overs. The Lankans were off to a brilliant start with Dilshan (78 off 66 balls) and Tharanga (69 off 97 balls) adding 122 runs for the opening stand at a run-a-ball rate.

        The Zimbabwean bowlers, however, made a spirited come back after the initial thrashing and ran through the middle and lower-order to bowl out the Lankans in 47.5 overs.

        For the hosts, Chris Mpofu, Prosper Utseya and Graeme Cremer scalped two wickets apiece. Apart from the openers, only three other Lankan batsman reached double digit scores.