HARARE, 8 May 2004 — Sanath Jayasuriya and Marvan Atapattu both smashed centuries as Sri Lanka piled on the misery for strife-torn Zimbabwe with the tourists reaching 456-7 in their first innings, a lead of 257, at stumps on the second day of the first Test at the Harare Sports Club here Friday.
The openers put on a first wicket stand of 281 to set the foundation for a match-winning total after Zimbabwe had been bowled out for 199 on Thursday. Jayasuriya was the more aggressive hitting 157 with his 12th Test hundred coming off just 90 balls and he struck a six plus 28 fours in a breathtaking innings.
“Marvan and myself know each other very well, and we were rotating the strike with singles and fast running,” said Jayasuriya whose runs came off just 147 balls. “That was important because the outfield was not that fast. We were trying to convert twos into threes. We have a good understanding.
“Before I got out he said we’ll try and get the 19 runs for the 300, but next ball, unfortunately, I was out. It was disappointing that we lost some cheap wickets. The middle order batsmen should have got more runs on the board as they had a good opportunity to do that today.
“It is a good pitch, but it is not easy to play shots. You have to play yourself in otherwise you don’t find the ball hitting the middle of the bat. Once you get in you can get runs, but you have to occupy the crease longer here than in Sri Lanka.”
Skipper Atapattu was more cautious. He was lucky to survive a leg before appeal, was dropped by stand-in wicketkeeper Alester Magwedere after captain Tatenda Taibu had removed the gloves to bowl, and also a close run-out chance. But his 170 was otherwise a model of Test batting and he fell just 30 runs short of what would have been his sixth Test double century. At 369-3, when Kumar Sangakkara fell for only 11, Sri Lanka were in a prime position but the arrival of the new ball brought a sudden change of events.
The tourists lost their next four wickets for only a further 45 runs as the middle order provided the Zimbabweans, with five new caps in their lineup after former skipper Heath Streak and his fellow white rebels refused to play, with cause for hope.
It fell to Chaminda Vaas and the debutant Farveez Maharoof to plug the gap and they saw the innings through to the close with an unbeaten partnership of 42.
The young and inexperienced Zimbabwe team were in some disarray during the first half of the day, bowling erratically and fielding below standard. But the new ball successes changed that and in the closing stages their bowling and fielding were both tight.
They will face a considerable score today in order to avoid defeat by an innings. They will also have to contend once more with Muttiah Muralitharan, who needs just one more victim to become the highest wicket taker in the history of Test cricket.
Kiwi Pacemen Toil in Tour Match
New Zealand pacemen Daryl Tuffey and injury-plagued Shane Bond toiled in the gloom of New Road here yesterday as Worcestershire reached 163 for 3 at stumps on the first day of a four-day tour match.
Tuffey removed both openers cheaply before the home side recovered on a day when only 50 overs were bowled while Bond, who has been out of the Test side for a year since suffering a stress fracture in his back, struggled to impress.
