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Sri Lanka on course for easy win Sri Lanka hammer hapless Zimbabwe
(about 1 hour later)
Zimbabwe's hopes of getting close to Sri Lanka's 285-7 were in tatters after another collapse in their Champions Trophy qualifying game in Ahmedabad. Sri Lanka all but qualified for the main stage of the Champions Trophy by thrashing Zimbabwe by 144 runs.
Piet Rinke inside-edged Ruchira Perera on to his stumps and Tafadzwa Mufambisi and Justice Chibhabha edged to slip. Upul Tharanga (110) hit a second ton in as many games and put on 165 with Kumar Sangakkara (80) in Sri Lanka's 285-7.
Dilhara Feranando bowled Brendan Taylor before Hamilton Masakadza edged Farveez Maharoof behind and Elton Chigumbura was run out to make it a sorry 89-6. Lasith Malinga claimed 3-25 and Dilhara Fernando and Muttiah Muralitharan took two wickets as Zimbabwe mustered 141.
Upul Tharanga hit a second straight ton for Sri Lanka and Kumar Sangakkara 80. Only Brendan Taylor and Hamilton Masakadza (both 30) battled and if West Indies beat Bangladesh on Wednesday, they and Sri Lanka will go through.
Tharanga punished width ruthlessly on the off-side with a succession of cuts and drives, smashing 13 fours and a good-length Mupariwa delivery over long-off for six as he recorded his fifth ODI century of the year. The only issue then will be who finishes top of qualifying and goes through to the supposedly weaker group containing New Zealand, Pakistan and South Africa.
Zimbabwe were boosted when Sanath Jayasuriya, backing up, was caught out by a superb piece of fielding from Chigumbura and skipper Mahela Jayawardene chased a wide one from Anthony Ireland. In truth, the outcome of this latest game in Ahmedabad was not in doubt once Tharanga fell back into the groove he found in hitting 105 against Bangladesh on Saturday.
He punished width ruthlessly on the off-side with a succession of cuts and drives, smashing 13 fours and a good-length Mupariwa delivery over long-off for six to record his fifth ODI century of the year.
Zimbabwe were given hope when Sanath Jayasuriya was caught out by a superb piece of fielding from Elton Chigumbura and skipper Mahela Jayawardene chased a wide delivery from Anthony Ireland.
Malinga helped himself to two wickets as Zimbabwe crumbled againMalinga helped himself to two wickets as Zimbabwe crumbled again
But Sangakkara, whose fourth run took him up to 5,000 runs in one-day internationals, proved a good foil for his young partner and, after a period of consolidation, they launched an assault. But Sangakkara, whose fourth run took him up to 5,000 runs in one-day internationals, and Tharanga launched a sustained assault to end any prospect of a shock.
Tharanga produced a glorious cover drive to bring up the century partnership in 120 balls before Sangakkara lifted leg-spinner Tafadzwa Kamungozi elegantly over mid-wicket to bring up his fifty in 66 balls.Tharanga produced a glorious cover drive to bring up the century partnership in 120 balls before Sangakkara lifted leg-spinner Tafadzwa Kamungozi elegantly over mid-wicket to bring up his fifty in 66 balls.
Tharanga missed with an expansive drive off Stuart Matsikenyeri, while Sangakkara mistimed Justice Chibhabha straight to Matsikenyeri at long-off as both left-handers tired. Both left-handers eventually tired and it was little surprise when Tharanga missed with an expansive drive off Stuart Matsikenyeri, and Sangakkara mistimed Justice Chibhabha straight to Matsikenyeri at long-off.
Dilshan became the third soft dismissal when he paddled Utseya straight to square-leg and Farveez Maharoof was plumb lbw to Kamungozi, who saw Muttiah Muralitharan hole out to long-off. The scoring slowed in the last 12 overs as five wickets fell to reward the Zimbabweans' enthusiastic work in the field.
In a typically frenzied last 12 overs, 76 runs came at the cost of five wickets - a reward for the Zimbabweans' enthusiastic display in the field. But the Africans repeated the mistakes they made in being skittled for 85 by the Windies, the top order soon back in the pavilion after loose drives.
But the Africans appeared to have learned little from being skittled for 85 by West Indies on Sunday, with their top order undone by loose drives. Piet Rinke inside-edged Perera's inswinger on to his stumps, while Tafadzwa Mufambisi and Justice Chibhabha gave catching practice to the slip fielders.
Piet Rinke got an inside edge on to his stumps trying to force away a Perera inswinger, while Tafadzwa Mufambisi and Justice Chibhabha guided deliveries from Malinga to Mahela Jayawardene and Dilshan Tillakaratne at slip. Taylor produced several delightful cover drives but was comprehensively bowled by a ball that Fernando jagged back, while Masakadza rode his luck before Maharoof's extra bounce surprised him.
Hamilton Masakadza rode his luck to collect four streaky boundaries and Taylor produced several delightful cover drives but once their 63-run partnership in 12 overs was ended the writing was on the wall. Things declined further when Chigumbura failed with a suicidal attempt at a second run and Stuart Matsikenyeri got into a hopeless tangle against a shorter ball from Fernando.
Fernando produced a beautiful delivery which jagged back to make a mess of Taylor's stumps, Masakadza was surprised by extra bounce from Maharoof and Chigumbura pushed for a second run that was not there. Utseya (20) and Mupariwa clung on to add 12 in 76 balls before Muralitharan's doosra accounted for the skipper and Ireland and the end was, mercifully, not long in coming.